


Skeletons with Benefits

by TheFloorIsKetchup



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fanfiction, Love, Multi, Multiple Boyfriends, Polygamy, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route, Promiscuity, Rape/Non-con Elements, Reverse Harem, Rivalry, Romance, Skeletons, future smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-01-18 00:18:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 19
Words: 78,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12377064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFloorIsKetchup/pseuds/TheFloorIsKetchup
Summary: You're a journalist. You live on a low class street in a low class part of town. Nothing here is out of the ordinary.Well, except for the monsters.A strange encounter in a coffee shop introduces you to a whole new perspective, leading to complete chaos and a bunch of drama and a hoard of crazy competitive skeleton men chasing after you and fighting one another to win the ultimate prize: your heart.It's slow at first, but no one can hold out forever.It, admittedly, sounds crazy. Maybe even a little stupid.But it feels like it all happens for a reason.And it feels like one day you might have to choose...





	1. Pumpkins and Unicorns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You encounter a spooky surprise in Starbucks.  
> (That's a lot of 'S's.)

It's a week before Halloween: pumpkins, cheap candy and tacky plastic spiders are everywhere, but it's still your favourite holiday.  
The morning is like any other; cold, brittle and listless and so after a few hours of bashing your head against a keyboard in a desperate attempt at creativity, you decide to chill out in your favourite café downtown.  
As edgy as that sounds, it's only Starbucks.

Regardless, it is a huge mistake because every mom and her kid is queuing up today to get their extra spooky pumpkin spiced whatevers. To be honest you're a little disappointed in yourself for not foreseeing this slight problem.  
But you have time to burn, and wait in line for what seems like an hour before a young lad nervously asks for your order: Honeycomb chocolate latte all the way, you deserve it after all that standing around doing nothing.

Thought you were going to sit down? Oh, how amazing that would be if you turned around and found a lovely sofa seat in the corner to sip your ludicrously overpriced drink on.  
But of course, it's the annual pumpkin clusterfuck day, and so there are literally no surfaces left to even casually lean on.  
Well, none save for the six seater comfy table at the back of the room.

Wait...what?

Your eyes must be decieving you, but there really are six seats free at the best spot in the house.  
But it only takes a fraction of a second more for you to realise why.  
Nobody is sitting there because sat right bang smack in the middle of the sofa facing you is a skeleton.

You jump out of your skin at the first sight, then laugh at yourself. 

It's a neat decoration for sure and just about friendly-looking enough to be nonthreatening. It's surprising that no one moved it to get to the seats, though. You wonder if it's made of something heavy or expensive and the store manager tells off the cheeky sods who try to touch it.

As you eye it up, 'It' becomes 'him' automatically in your mind, seeing as the skull is almost comically designed to look more masculine. You blow on your latte absently whilst staring down the figure at the end of the room.  
He has his eyes closed and his hands positioned behind his head, looking like he could be taking a nap which is pretty darn funny. Something about his face amuses you a lot, but not in a kind of 'laugh out loud' kind of a way, but more of a sort of fascination. It is as though it could have been a living thing if it didn't look so unearthly.

Highly enlightened by the spooky addition to the store, you shuffle over to the skeleton figure, clasping your cup to warm your hands. 

This thing gets weirder the closer you get.  
First of all, 'he' doesn't look like any material you've ever seen. It's like a mixture between latex and hard plastic or something, and the lines and details of his face are perfect.  
No human could have made this: it's too sturdy and unblemished. Starbucks really know where to get the best shit, that's for sure.

God, why are you even studying it in the first place? This is a simple Halloween decoration, designed to freak out lost toddlers and have selfies taken with by teens.  
You suspect that many eyes are boring into your back at this moment, and roll your shoulders to gain a better posture.

Lifting your cup to your lips, you take a sip and the beverage fogs your face in steam. You lower the cup, and the most terrifying thing makes your heart skip a beat and all the little hairs on your arms and hands stand on end.

With one eye half-open, the skeleton stares directly up at your face with a single glowing white pupil.  
He blinks once, slowly, and his 'lips' somehow curve and stretch into a lazy smirk.

"see somethin' ya like?" He says, and two things give you a wake up call at that moment.

A. It's alive, it's conscious...the dead are walking!  
And B. Holy balls, what a voice.

Seriously, whatever this is has a voice like melting butter and Belgian chocolate. It's quite frankly divine.  
However, right now you can't quite get over the fact that the former decoration is actually a living thing and speaking to you.

Your eyes don't leave his humoured expression, and you must've been staring for a while because he raises his 'brows', still with only one eye half open.

You curse and blink a few times, followed by a very delayed step backwards in shock.  
"I...I uh..." The words get stuck in your throat and you end up stammering nonsense.

The skeleton retracts his hands from behind his head and rests them on the table to hold his cup. From where you are it appears to be in a clear cup like an iced drink. Weird. How is he drinking that?  
He opens both eyes to give you a once-over and then lets his smile widen.  
"need a place ta sit?"

"I uh...um...yeah, sure." You rasp, somewhat out of breath from not breathing for so long. The seat opposite the skeleton is just a cushioned chair, but it's enough and you take it, rigid with irrational fear. 

He has a strong, bulky frame, very much unlike a human skeleton which makes him look powerful. He wears a white shirt with the top three buttons undone and you notice a black tie is knotted around his wrist for some reason. Is that so that he doesn't lose it? But then surely he could just wear it...

"dress codes." He states randomly.

"Huh?"

"dress codes." He holds his wrist up to show you what he means whilst leaning down to sip his frappe through a straw. "gotta wear a tie, but they don't specify where."

You snort and laugh a little. Was he serious? He wore a tie around his wrist to make a point at work? You feel embarrassed that he noticed you looking at it though, and your cheeks burn.  
He's satisfied with your reaction and decides to pursue conversation. You suppose he's one of those sociable people that talk to you on the train because they don't want the awkward 'I don't want to sit next to you but there's no more room' silence where all conversation consists of that one line telepathically communicated for however long you have to be there.

"couldn't help but notice ya givin' me a look earlier." The skeleton toys with the straw in his mouth, not even drinking anything. His face is particularly smug. Now that you watch him closely, it's amazing how his face can move so fluidly.  
He's barely anything like a normal skeleton, more like a cartoon of one.

His words cause you to blush more intensely, a sheepish smile crossing your mouth. Being gawked at by a ridiculous human girl must have been pretty strange for him, probably as strange as your side of the experience...but then again you think it probably isn't the first time he's gotten funny looks, especially when you remember his blasé attitude towards your rudeness.

"Ah. Well, if I'm going to be honest I thought you were..."  
You pause. Would it be insulting to compare him to a plastic ornament? Probably.  
And yet he has this knowing smile on his lips and waits patiently. You know he knows what you thought he was, and that he finds it very amusing indeed.

"A decoration. You know, like a Halloween statue or something."

The confession lies still between you and him for a brief moment, before the pause is broken.

The sound, at first, makes no sense. It's enjoyable and infectious, but at the same time laced with mildly enticing roughness.  
Is there such a thing as a sexy laugh?  
Your cheeks burn brighter as he kills himself with laughter, deep chuckles clear and mocking. You feel very small compared to him.

A nervous giggle escapes your mouth.

"It's... it's not funny! No, don't laugh about it. You scared the life outta me!" Your protests are in vain. If anything, any attempt to shut him up seems to make him laugh more.  
He struggles to calm down, and ends up with just a massive grin and the appearance of being out of breath.  
And yet he shouldn't have lungs.  
Heck, he shouldn't even be alive!

"stars, kid. ya never seen a monster before?" He shakes the icy blueish-pink sludge in his cup and mushes it around with the straw like a child. You watch him do that before replying.

"Of course I have! I'm not stupid." You're blushing even more now. Damn your stupid nerves and your stupid face!  
Hands shaking, you grip your drink to try to help your state.  
He makes you feel so flustered and impulsive, like he's toying with your mind...in a good way.  
This freakish stranger knows how to unlock your very brain with his mere personality. The literal skeleton key to opening people up is on his tongue and in his eyes...

"well then, 'not stupid', the name's sans."

You blink. What kind of a name is 'Sans'? Then again, all the monsters you've heard about had weird-ass names. The names in the papers linked to the new embassy were certainly not ones you'd find on the Wikipedia list of popular baby names, but when you took into account the fact that this was effectively a new and intelligent species the names shouldn't come as a surprise.  
Regardless, you were still very confused.

"Sans...the skeleton?" It isn't a question, more of a bewildered statement that he seems to find hilarious.  
That grin fits so naturally of his face you wonder if it's just his resting expression.

"that's right, kid. although, (common mistake) i ain't actually a skeleton made o' real bone. all this-" he makes a sweeping gesture up his torso to his head, "made o' magic."

Again, another weird thing about monsters that you didn't get: What was this 'magic' thing they all spoke about?  
Ever since you were young, you knew magic wasn't real, like Santa Clause and the tooth fairy.  
So why are they always mentioning it? Is it a loose term for something scientific they weren't aware of? Or a loose term for something humans aren't aware of?

This train of thought leads you to ask him:  
"What do you mean?"

Sans' pupils flicker up to your face whilst he takes a long sip from his straw. It's oddly sexual and you can't hold eye contact at all. 

What a nice pattern on the wall...

"about what?"

"Magic. What is it?"

You find yourself wringing your hands nervously. The problem is: you're terrible at knowing when you're being insensitive when it comes to monsters. It could be really insulting to enquire about monster customs, or considered racist or...

"oh, heheh. well, uh, i could show ya if you'd like but i gotta ask ya first."

"What?"

"do you believe in magic?"

You wrinkle your nose up.

"If you're gonna pull a quarter from behind my ear, then I'll have to say no, no I don't. I've studied Magician's tricks before and I know the drill with all the little fantasy characters."

Sans chuckles and waves his hand.

"fair enough. it's a smart way ta go but maybe this'll change your mind."

Out of nowhere, your mug begins to levitate off of the table. You stare at it in surprise and wonder.  
How is he doing that?

Around the glass is a faint blue hue, fluctuating softly as the cup spins and changes direction. Eventually it ends up upside down and on the ceiling, the liquid somehow still inside.

Your eyes are fastened to it, some part of you still pretending it's a trick.

"H-holy cow."  
There are a few gasps and exclamations from around the room, and you pointlessly reach up to try and touch the cup. "How are you doing that?"

Sans grins and conveys an innocent shrug. He looks unbeatably relaxed right now; his eyes half closed and a gentle smirk on his lips with a smug amount of teeth showing.  
You take this moment to notice how big his teeth are in the first place. They fit in his mouth, sure, but they are really quite substantial for a normal creature. Not to mention how perfectly white and neat they are.  
Your dentist would have a field day with Sans, you were sure.

"four hidden pulleys and invisible wire."

You give him a look that says "Really?" and he just laughs andgives you a wink.

"Hey, monster! No magic!" One of the baristas yells at him from the cashier and Sans looks mildly pissed off as he lowers your drink and sets it quickly by your shuddering hands.  
The transition this time is short and concise. Sans is no longer trying to show off his magic, and yet it's more amazing to see how casually he can manipulate objects with just a movement in his wrist. (You are sure he can do magic without the hand gestures, but he chooses to do those for entertainment.)

"i know, buddy! won't happen again!"

Despite the noise, you can't focus on anything but your cup, expecting it to move again.  
What the hell just happened and how?! How is it conceivably possible for a mortal creature to possess such otherworldly power? He just broke the laws of physics for God's sake.  
Trying to bring science into the equation does not help. You just end up getting more and more confused the more you try to make sense of it.

"pretty neat, huh, kid?" Sans retrieves your attention once more, and you give him a warm, excited smile.

"Super neat. Can you do that with anything? Like people? I wanna see more!" You can't help but bounce up and down in your seat whilst you say that. Monsters actually have real powers and abilities, just like in the folk tales and newspapers.  
You'd been so sceptical because every monster seemed to refuse to perform this 'magic' whenever people asked, and you've never seen any yourself before now. This is truly unique and amazing.

"well, if you're still curious, come visit me and my...uh...family sometime. we'd always welcome a new friend."

"W-we could exchange numbers?" You blurt, blushing heavily. Why the heck did you have to say that?! Now he's going to get the wrong idea.  
However, the skeleton whips out a goddamn calling card from his shirt pocket, leaving you stunned.  
He casually swirls his rainbow slush whilst you take the little square of paper and tuck it in your pocket.

"I don't have anything to write with...or on..." Your blush deepens and you feel awkward.  
But this guy...  
He pulls out a pen from his back pocket and another card and slaps them onto the table.

"Okay, so you just like...walk around with your number written on little bits of paper for situations like this?" You snicker slightly, and that gives him a look of satisfaction.

"yup. why not?"

You shake your head and grin as you jot down your mobile number and your name and when he picks it up he smiles.

"alright. thanks for that, (Y/N)."

Hearing your own name being played back to you feels strange, and you wonder if it's just his accent.

"so is that a yes?" Sans enquires, slipping your details into his shirt pocket.

"What do you mean?"

"i'd like ta let my bro know we're expectin' guests if you're gonna visit."

You flush. "Oh! Right, of course. Well, I won't make any promises but we can talk on it."

Sans nods and makes a clicking noise with his tongue. "gotcha."

Through his skeletal fingers you spy the colours of his unseasonal drink amd recognise them completely.  
"Is that a unicorn frappe?" You enquire, suddenly very amused by his choice, especially as they supposedly weren't making them anymore.

"i believe so." Sans downs the last of the slush, "drinking it for the aesthetic really. guy at the desk was so scared he made me one in case i used my voodoo powers." He chuckles and so do you. "it tastes horrible."

"You can taste?" 

He looks taken aback. But then his expression softens when he remembers the whole 'skeleton' thing. Humans never learn.

"can birds fly? and don't go tellin' me about flightless birds. we can exclude those from my intentions here." Sans watches your smile. "I can taste, hear, smell, see and feel." 

He can feel too? For some reason your mind drifts to unwanted places with that information.

"That's amazing." You say quietly, not wishing to be heard. Obviously you are heard, but that doesn't stop you from continuing. "I don't know if I'll ever understand monster biology, but I sure as heck will never find it boring."

"stop it, kid. i'm blushin' here." The skeleton is joking but he does look as though he could be blushing. His cheeks have always been a little on the blue side, but you just supposed that was because of the light or something. Now that the blueness has developed into a soft edged glow, you wonder if the flush is real. But that would have to mean he had blue blood, or maybe he has blue magic inside him like the blue colour around your cup when it floated up to the ceiling a minute ago.

Speaking of...

"I mean it though. You guys are all exceedingly cool. I don't understand why so many people are on the offensive with all of your rights and allowances and stuff." You take a few sips of your drink now that it's cooled sufficiently, and sigh happily. The warming sensation is lovely.  
It then dawns on you that perhaps it was insensitive to mention rights to a monster.  
"Of course, I know people are scared but monsters aren't wild beasts."

Sans nods tiredly. He sits back and rests his hands on his stomach cavity. (Or what you assume to be. You doubt he has a solid figure, judging by the ribs visible through his shirt. But then again his hands are resting on something. Magic? That seems legit.)

"you're right, kiddo, but not all of ya think we're safe. I suppose to them we're like citizens with irremovable firearms."

Firearms? He means magic can be a weapon too?  
But of course, that knowledge is everywhere. It's hard to imagine the little trick you saw today magnified on a more deadly scale.  
It's bone chilling to say the least.  
There's a vaguely awkward pause.

"You said you have a family." You stare into your drink and want it to never end. If it never ended you'd feel full of sweet hot coffee and be able to talk to this new 'friend' forever and ever.  
It would be embarrassing to admit how lonely you are.

"wantin' ta meet the parents already, huh? slow down, kid." He grins and you blush conspicuously. Why does he have to tease you so much? "I live with my bro. he's so cool, real tall too..."

"Crushing on your brother are you?" You hold back your giggles as you make an attempt at mimicking his teases. "That can't be sanitary."

Sans snorts and breaks back into that luscious laughter, and this time you join in.

"i ain't incestuous, but tibia honest my bro is the most valuable thing in my life." You can't help but smile. God it's so cute that he loves his brother like that. Hang on...tibia? 'Tibia' like...like the bone...

You think Sans is slightly startled by your sudden laugh. He's probably wondering if you find his relationship with his brother funny.

"You made a pun didn't you? 'Tibia', like 'to be' in 'to be honest."

Sans flashes a trademark grin and winks at you, which you find yourself feeling quite light headed after.

"must of slipped out by accident. i tend to make puns unintentionally when i talk to people..." His face falls for comic effect on his next line. "it sucks at funerals. imagine granting your condolences and then outta nowhere comes a death joke."

You laugh softly and nod.

"I can imagine." 

The café has quietened down now, only a few couples and mothers are left dotted around the room. The lunch rush is coming to an end and at last there is an amiable peace about the place.  
The boy who served you at the cashier keeps staring at you and your companion, pretending to polish the work surface for the nineteenth time this hour.

"Are you supposed to be working?" You ask, the idea suddenly dawning upon you. He's dressed in work clothes and had basically mentioned it earlier... Is this his lunch break? Even if it was it should be over by now.  
That question is answered almost immediately.

"'course i am. i'm too lazy ta go back though. i might just lounge in here 'till i hafta go home." He reclines further and runs one hand over the top of his skull.

Is he joking? Surely he'd lose his job if he failed to show up.

"Won't you lose your job?"

Sans finds your concern endearing. He closes his eyes and smiles broadly.

"i can't get fired. i work for the embassy in the plaza, i've been there since we came to the surface."

"The embassy?! What are you, a bodyguard?"

Sans chuckles and you wonder what is so funny. Did you accidentally compliment his figure?  
Yes. Yes you did.  
Anyhow, it's surprising a guy like him can manage to work for royalty and other upper class members, given how laid back he seems to be. It's even more surprising to think that he might even be one of the aristocrats.  
The monsters you'd seen in the plaza and by the embassy itself were very regal looking, prim and pressed and with important looking uniforms, badges and clipboards. They all had the same walk too, which you had named the 'paranoid boardroom' walk.  
This guy...Sans, was nothing like them.

"heheheh, i'm flattered but nah, i'm not a bodyguard. I am, believe it or not, a scientist."

You raise your brow. Scientist? Of what?! Science is a huge field of work, no one is just 'a scientist'.  
Your confusion is noticed, apparently.

"i work on magical research and development in the labs off-site. it's a huge place but not many people know where it is." He goes on explaining, "i used to play with science underground too, but uh...i chose ta look after my brother instead."

You nod and smile. The words quietly escape your lips.  
"That's cute."  
But luckily this time he doesn't hear.

"but now that you mention it, kid. i think i'd better get back." Sans gets up and brushes his thighs off. You snigger; he's wearing jeans. "hit me up whenever and I'll try to get ya to meet my bro."

You turn in your seat to watch him slide out from under the table and stretch where he stands, groaning as his joints seize up. He's taller than you expected: over six foot, but still pretty short for a monster.

"Aye aye, captain." You grin up at him, "Sea you soon."

He pauses half way through turning away and sighs and laughs at the same time.

"nice try, kid. i don't bereef  you've got the knack yet, though." He winks again. "catch ya later!" 

"Hah, bye!" You give him a small wave that he doesn't see, and watch him leave through the window before pulling out your phone and immediately texting him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The encounter left you feeling happy for the rest of the day, and as soon as you got home you sat down with a tub of ice cream to start texting.  
> ***  
> Next time you get closer to Halloween and recieve a call from a sexy stranger.
> 
> Leave kudos and comment if you like the story and want more!  
> Thank you so much for reading!!!


	2. Unknown Caller

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After meeting Sans that afternoon, you can't wait to chat to him when you get home.  
> However, in the night you recieve a strange phone call from a mystery number, and they sound an awful lot like Sans...

It's been a long time since you've felt this way: the excited buzz in your chest as you await a reply to a text message.  
It's such a simple thing to start a conversation with someone, but for some reason whenever you message people you get unnecessarily agitated and nervous. Maybe it has something to do with the fallout you had with your best friend after highschool? No...surely not.  
Perhaps this time it's just the prospect of a new friend, and an interesting one at that.

You'd be lying if you didn't say that this is the most fun you've had in months. Work is cruel at the moment, and today definately took your mind off it. Meeting Sans was both hilarious and embarrassing. How could you have been so stupid and mistake him for...a decoration?

You snigger at the memory and spoon a generous amount of caramel cup ice cream into your mouth, staring down at the phone in you hand. The screen is off because you believe that Sans will reply faster if you don't look at the messaging app, kind of like how paint dries and kettles boil when you're not looking.  
Of course, he could have forgotten, or maybe he has no intention of ringing you up like he said. It feels unfair and heartbreaking to think about being neglected by him, even though you've spent a grand total of one hour together.  
You huff and turn your phone on to browse the internet, thumb impatiently scrolling up and down the forums and somehow (and completely accidentally) you end up reading a WikiHow page on 'How to make friends' and then 'How to know if he's interested'.

At last, the telltale vibration of an incoming message startles you so much that you jump, and then immediately wedge your spoon into your mouth to use both hands to type.  
Sans has replied.

Dr Bones  
21:45

-hey

You pause, finger over the send button. The large paragraph of rambling nonsense you were about to send suddenly snagged your attention.  
You're desperate for his company, but it's the last thing on your agenda to actually show it.  
The wall of text you've typed disappears after a few quick button presses and you start again.

After a minute or two of total internal panic and many (many) rewrites, you've formulated an acceptable reply. It reads:

-Hey Sans  
-Did you get fired yet?

Indeed, your conversation starter is flawless. Three whole minutes of careful formulation has bestowed upon you a blessed message to respond with...  
Oh god. You're going to be alone forever and you know it.

-heheh. not exactly  
-i had to marry an alien and bear its children to keep my job.

-Omg really?!

-hah, you crack me up, kid.  
-ofc not. talk about miss gullible over here...

You flash a smile at the screen, almost as if he's right there and you're talking in person. You can imagine the way he says his lines, and the faces he would make when you replied.

-on another note, paps is real excited to meet u

-Who's Paps? Is that your brother?

-yeah. did i mention he's vertically advantaged?

-Aye, ye did.  
-Are you sure you don't have a teeny weeny little crush on him?:)))

You curse. Smiley faces- particularly ones with double chins- are for kids and clueless parents. Smileys are not for up-and-coming grown women who are striving to make friends.

-maybe, kid. anyway his name's papyrus.  
-...don't ask.

A tiny laugh escapes your mouth at that. You'd thought 'Sans' was weird, but now 'Papyrus'? To you, they sound like...  
Oh man.  
This is too funny for words, but you have to reward yourself with more ice cream for finding the connection so fast.  
Sans and Papyrus...were named after fonts.  
Goddamn fonts! 

Sans notices your pause and fills the gap with a quick message.

-come see us for halloween?

That was quick. Surely he'd like some more details? Information? More time to talk to you? Unless that's just what you want from him.  
It feels wrong to trust this monster so purely. You are sure he'd never do anything to harm you but you've known all your life to never trust strangers.  
And as much as you hate to admit it, Sans and Papyrus are strangers.

-Sounds lovely! But so soon?

-you've got nothing to be afraid of, kid, i promise.  
-i could give you paps' number if you wanna get to know him first?

You accept his offer. What harm could talking to his brother bring? In your eyes, this is working out to be perfect. Halloween is your favorite holiday besides Christmas, and you'd love to be the first human to spend the day of the demonic with a pair of real living skeletons.  
Seriously, how cool is that?! 

The rest of the night you chat to Sans and in the meantime finish your ice cream.  
Talking until the late hours with secret snacks brought you back to your early teen years: trying to get your crushes to notice your existance and hiding your phone under your pillow when you'd stayed up too late.  
It's a wonderful feeling to be able to stay up for as long as you wish, because you can do whatever you want and make your own decisions, and even more comforting to know that somewhere in this city, right now, Sans is sitting on his couch at home, reading what you've written and knowing that you're there too. 

Around about one in the morning, it becomes difficult to stay awake. The screen is now too bright for your tired eyes, and you yawn loudly.  
You feel like you should sleep, even though you're having fun. 

-Hey I gtg now. Bedfordshire calls.

-aw alright, kiddo.  
-oh, before you go i need to tell you something about my bro.  
-he comes off quite strong, but pillow the surface he's harmless. ;)

(Aha! If Sans used a smiley face then they're okay in your book.)  
Besides that, you break into a smile at that well placed pun and sigh in slight disappointment. 

-What a comedian  
-I look forwards to talking to this brother of yours.

You bite your lip. Perhaps this next message is cutting it a little close. You take a deep breath and just send it. You need to have more confidence if you're going to start meeting people again.  
This is like the samurai training phase, where through the delicate art of SMS you combat your opponent and avoid the punishment of regection before the final stage: face to face conversation.  
This is all so exciting. Truly, it is.

-If he's anything like you I'm sure he's great!

-oh he's great alright.  
-sleep tight kiddo, we don't want you bone tired in the morning do we?

This man.

-Yes dad.

Your next line causes you to swell with pride over it's genius.

 

-Goodnight Comic Sans.

There is no reply, but you can tell he's laughing.

After a moment or two, you get out of bed and brush your teeth quickly before checking the mirror.  
Your reflection never pleases you when you want it to. It's just the way of the world.

Disgruntled, you clamber back into bed, pushing the ice cream tub and spoon onto the floor and not caring about the droplets of melted dessert that splatter onto the carpet.  
Your mind is on Sans as you close your eyes, nuzzling your face into the pillow and trying to conjure up some ingenious puns to outwit him with tomorrow. 

However, just as your eyelids begin to feel heavy, your phone vibrates next to your head.  
What?

It vibrates again, and then continues repeatedly.  
Someone must be calling you, but surely Sans wouldn't reply after so long? Maybe by some random turn of fate it's your parents.

Curious, you pick up your mobile and squint as the bright screen partially blinds you.  
Who in the world?

The number is unknown, so you assume it's a 'wrong number' caller or spam.

You answer it, uncaring if a robot is calling and asks if you'd like quality life insurance for your family or tells you that you have four thousand dollars waiting for you in the accident claims department. 

"Hello?"

On the other end, there's a pause and then a dark, husky and breathless chuckle sends shivers down your spine.  
It sounds like Sans, only if he spoke at a lower pitch and with a New Yorker's-kinda-Brooklyn accent.

There is a sound like someone licking their lips and you shudder. 

"Is your refrigerator running, sweetheart?"

...In all honesty, you have no idea how to respond to that.  
A man with a voice made of pure sex just asked you if your refrigerator was running.  
He just...just asked you the most stupid, classic joke in the book of prank calls.  
One question and one question only plays in your mind at this moment.  
Why?

"Y-yes?" You gulp, hand shaking as you grip the phone closer to your ear, listening to another low growling laugh and then,

"That's what I thought."

The phone goes silent and the answerphone starts chatting away about pressing ones and zeroes.  
That harsh robotic computer voice is so grating on your ears that you turn the phone off and then place it face down on the table by your bed as if the man who just called you might be able to crawl through the screen. 

What the hell was that? You aren't sure how to react at all. It was ever so confusing with all of the sexual undertones, the pet name and then...  
'Is your refrigerator running?'?

Shaking your head, you turn away from the phone and bed down for the night, curling up into the fetal position for safety.  
You're sure it'll all make sense tomorrow. 

 

Except it doesn't make sense. When you wake up, the whole night feels like a dream.  
You don't get out of bed until you can hear your neighbour's TV and the shower running in the apartment below. You used to get up with the birds, but lately laziness has forced you otherwise.  
Slowly and sleepily, you roll out of bed with the duvet wrapped around your shoulders and totter over to the window.  
It's been left open overnight and you sigh, mopping up the condensation that covers the panes and the sill with the corner of your blanket cocoon.  
Outside the air is freezing, and the trees on the street below by St Harriets park are now almost bare.  
The sidewalk is swamped in wet amber leaves and people's pumpkins are already decking the garden walls and storefronts.

It's nice to stare down at the street for a few minutes. You watch Danny from the convenience store on the corner waltz into work and then shortly after see the lights flicker on and the 'closed' sign flip to 'open'.

Everyone is already up and running. Like clockwork everything happens at relatively the same time each morning, except you seem to be the only person who isn't part of the system.  
Perhaps Sans is the same. He seemed like the lazy type. 

With your thoughts now back on to the previous day, you begin to wonder if the prank caller was sometime you knew, like Sans, seeing as he sounded very similar. It was a funny coincidence that the pattern of speech was the same for both. The laughs were spookily similar too, in fact the only differences were the pitch and the accent.  
You decide, after staring into space, that you'll message the mystery caller yourself, and accuse him of being Sans and if he denies it, you'll ask the man himself.  
It's also likely that it was his brother, but you haven't been given his number yet. Perhaps that was Papyrus calling so that you had his contact...  
Nevertheless it was an odd way to go about making a first impression. 

It's no exaggeration to to say that you can't keep the subject off your mind. Every time you slip back into the rhythm of normal functionality, (Making breakfast with orange juice instead of milk and feeling tempted to waste the day at Starbucks again instead of actually writing anything.) you suddenly remember that moment when you first saw Sans' intelligent eye lights staring up at you, and that rough, dark voice muttering the line: 'Is your refrigerator running?'

Goddamnit. You are supposed to be writing an entry for the Ebbot paper, not thinking about... God knows. 

By lunch you've written three paragraphs on the new monster population, and you feel proud of your achievements.  
Your reward is a cheese salad sandwich, which you spend fifteen minutes making and five minutes eating, but it's worth it. 

"Okay, back to work." You mentally condition yourself for the four more entries you'll have to write and send off by the end of the day. 

The roads get busy around five outside, and you're unable to concentrate with all the chugging and the beeping and the revving going in outside.  
You used to have nightmares about the cars on your street. For some reason, the way the whoosh of a passing vehicle echoed and bounced off the buildings around made you feel uneasy when you first moved in. It was an alien noise, you suppose.  
Nowadays, you're totally fine with the noise. It's actually rather comforting at times. 

You get up out of your seat and stretch, pacing around your bedroom: walking from the desk to the wardrobe, around and up to the door and then to your bed, where you stop to examine the dodgy ice cream stains marking the sheets.  
You sigh. 

Later on, after a slow and tedious trip to the dry cleaners, you get back to your apartment to stick a pizza in the oven and hastily finish your article for the Ebbot paper.  
You're so tired and bored of work that you barely edit your piece before sending it off to the agency.  
You eat your dinner sprawled out in your bed, staring up at the plain white ceiling in the dark.  
You like the gloom: it's comforting and feels safe. Outside the sun is going down and the streetlamps are the only light left. The gentle golden flush of the room is so romantic you almost wish there was someone there next to you, sharing this moment.  
Checking the time, you wash up after eating and send Sans a quick message.

One message leads to another night of pun filled banter.  
You can't complain, it's addictively hilarious and you're smiling the whole way through.  
It feels, moreso now that you haven't seen him in 24 hours, like Sans isn't actually real. He's like an imaginary friend, and you tell him this after a while of chatting.

Dr Bones  
22:56

-really? hang on...

You wait for about five minutes, watching the digital click on your mobile laboriously tick upwards.  
Then a huge white box appears on the screen, which is a picture that hasn't loaded in yet.  
Pictures mean bad. Danger alert!  
Your heart is pounding as hope fills your chest that the image doesn't turn out to be something disgusting. 

Thankfully, it's a picture of Sans' smile. You exhale, grinning back at him.  
It shows his mouth downwards and stops just below his heart shaped clavicle.  
It looks dark in the room, but you can tell he's at least shirtless, and you find yourself blushing.  
His strangely expressive skull bears a gently slanting smirk, showing his satisfyingly large teeth and an unexpected pointed one, like a canine or fang that you hadn't noticed before, hidden under his smugly drawn lips almost teasingly.  
His bones look smooth and white, neat and symmetrical. Each segment of his body resembles a puzzle, perfectly slotted into place, thick and sturdily structured. The segments form his neck in wide rings, slope into his shoulders with bars of the strong pale bone, and form rounded shoulders in lovely spotless ball joints, although most of his arms are hidden.  
His body isn't quite as sharp and fragile looking as a normal skeleton is, in fact it's very soft around the edges and the 'bone' sort of looks as though it was a liquid at some point, molded and melted to form natural gaps of black space in the white on his chest that slowly grow in length and width into slick curving ribs like piano keys...

Pull it together! You need to remember it's only a skeleton. 

-is that better?

You giggle out loud, still feeling light headed after the photo.

-Yeah, thank you!  
-Where's your shirt?

-oh, heheh  
-forgot i wasn't wearing one. sorry 'bout that kiddo

You are so tempted to just say that you have no problem being given the opportunity to study his body, as crazy as that sounds. 

-It's okay ;3  
-I'm looking forward to halloween, you know.

-oh you are are you?  
-can't wait for more of these tasty ribs?

You snigger. If only he knew how 'tasty' those ribs looked. 

-Oh yes, definitely.  
-Oh! I forgot to ask...did you prank call me last night? 

There's an unnaturally long pause.

-no? why? 

-Someone who sounded like you called me last night. 

-what did he say to you?

-'Is your refrigerator running?'

-what did he sound like? 

Wow, Sans was so serious all of a sudden. Why was he so protective? Maybe he thought he knew who it was. Perhaps it was his brother after all.

-Like you, but deeper voiced and with an accent.  
-It was nothing I was just freaked out a bit :3

You wait, and then finally he sends a hurriedly typed message.

-alright, kid. gotta run but talk tomorro yh?

You sigh. Maybe you shouldn't have mentioned the prank call to him, or maybe got shouldn't have blamed him for it...  
Regardless, you say goodnight to him and settle down, half expecting another prank call.  
When there us no call or text for quite a while, your eyelids begin to weigh down, and eventually you fall into a deep and exhausted sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave kudos and comment to carry on the adventure!  
> I'd love to hear what you think but in the meantime, thank you to those who commented on my last chapter because the response was wonderful! I can't wait to write more for you guys thank you so much! 
> 
> Next time, the lead up to the big day, Sans spills the secrets he's been hiding all week, you finally get Papyrus' number and the mystery of the strange caller is solved on the much anticipated event of Halloween!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	3. More Than You Bargained For

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You meet Papyrus and a strange skeleton you never expected. Of course, when Halloween dawns you receive an even more unexpected surprise...

Breakfast is peanut butter toast, and the lack of jam is mortifying. You simply cannot have peanut butter without the jelly bit...you just can't!

It's safe to say you'd neglected the chore of shopping for a little too long now, because not only is there no jam but also nothing much else either. The contents of your fridge is as bleak as your social life, how depressing.

"Shopping." you mutter to yourself, pacing around the bedroom. "I need something to take to Sans' on Halloween too...oh god."  
It never really crossed your mind but can skeleton monsters really eat? He'd said he could taste but could he contain food or did it just sink straight through him?  
Never in a million years would the question: 'Could a skeleton eat a corn chip?' arise in your mind until today.  
Nacho chips are a classic party food, and if you have chips you need dip. Otherwise it's like bread without butter: pitiful.

Sans had managed to contain a unicorn slush earlier in the week, so you're sure food isn't a problem, else he'd have walked out with an icy wet patch on his jeans.  
You giggle, now you're asking yourself if skeletons can pee.

"Okay, okay." you shut your eyes, ignoring the fact that you are talking to yourself.  "Chips, dips and food for me." 

Costume? Something ironic would be great, like a shirt with a ribcage on it or like jeans with the bones printed on.  
Shit, you'd look cool in jeans like that. You like that idea so much that you spend the next hour searching through the internet for a pair before you realise it's two days until Halloween. Two days isn't enough time for anything to arrive in the mail on time. "Damn."  
You curse and shut down your computer. It looks like the nearest chain store is your best bet. Supermarkets always have Halloween junk on offer at this time of year, if not a shirt then definitely a pair of plastic fangs or a pumpkin head. Heck, even a goddamn sexy witch outfit would be good if it was affordable. 

Walking up the street, the boy from the convenience store, Danny, comes out to say 'hi' to you.  
You laugh weakly and carry on quickly, not wanting the conversation.  
"Yeah, hi."

The nearest store that sells clothes is several blocks away on the highstreet, and you're glad of your big coat and thick sweater when it starts to feel a little colder.  
Inside the store, you scan every rack and rail for something skeleton themed, but get hooked up in the sale section that still has the summer line rejects on offer.

"OH WOWZERS! LOOK AT THIS!"

You startle, that voice sure is loud. You can't be sure whether it's someone's kid or just an excitable teen.  
You awkwardly turn to glance over your shoulder, just a natural reaction like when someone tells you not to look and therefore you have to.  
The loud person seems to be in another isle, because you can't see anything. 

"INDEED IT IS AWESOMELY COOL! BUT WHAT ABOUT...WHAT ABOUT THIS ONE?"

This time the voice is different and a little brasher, almost comical. Who are these rowdy kids, yelling almost everything they say? 

"YOU LOOK LIKE RED WITH THOSE ON."

"I DO? W-WELL YOU'D LOOK LIKE HIS BROTHER IF YOU WORE THESE."

"WHAT ARE THEY FOR? THEY DON'T FIT MY MOUTH..."

You snicker and cover your face with your sleeve, making eye contact with a woman and her kids who look equally as amused.

"THEY'RE MADE FOR HUMAN TEETH I THINK, PAPY...I MEAN PYRUS...YOUR FACE IS TOO BIG!"

Hang on, laughing aside, what did they just say? Papy? Pyrus?  
Those sound an awful lot like abbreviations of 'Papyrus', which would be quite the coincidence.  
No...surely these shouty people aren't Sans and Papyrus. Both of them have voices much too high for Sans.  
But they are monsters, because they call people 'humans' instead of...well, 'people'.

"MY FACE ISN'T BIG, HUMANS ARE JUST SMALL." The one on suspicion of being Papyrus announces this grandly, and then giant striding footsteps come ever closer to your hiding spot amongst the bargain clothing. The big steps are accompanied by smaller, more frantic steps, as if this second monster is much shorter and struggling to keep up.

"DO YOU THINK SANS' HUMAN FRIEND IS SMALL TOO?"  
The shorter chirps, stopping just a few meters from you.  
Your eyes shift off the floor and to your right slowly. You find a familiar figure clad in grey slim jeans and a blue tee-shirt...  
Sans?  
No, this new skeleton turns his head to face you and your eyes meet momentarily. He has big blue lights in his eyes and a bigger cheery expression. His teeth are blunt and unthreatening, and his nose is smaller and cuter than Sans'.  
This is an odd turn of events indeed. Skeletons are a rare kind of monster, you've never seen one before until Wednesday, so another one is quite shocking to say the least.

The bright eyed companion of the illusive Papyrus turns and calls to him.

"PYRUS?"

There is a weird pause, and then your jaw hits the floor.  
A skeleton, way over six foot, nearing seven, marches out of an isle closer than you expected. He's pencil thin, broad chested and almost certainly the monster his brother had described.  
His face is long and narrow, and his eye sockets are unconventionally shaped. He's similar but very different to Sans, with sharper cheekbones and an apparent lack of facial structure. He has hollows in either side of his jaw like a real skeleton, but the rest is fused over instead of open.  
He wears blue jeans and a white top, as well as comical orange trainers and a scarf.  
You stare up at him, shaking a little at the sheer size of him.  
"T-tall..." you wheeze.

"WHAT IS IT?" Papyrus walks over to the blue eyed skeleton, and they talk together in quieter voices that should be whispers but are the volume of normal speech.

"That human girl keeps staring at us, Pyrus. Do we know her?"

"I don't think so. Did we get her name yesterday?"

"No. I haven't seen this one before." 

You draw breath and turn your back, pretending to take an interest in the Bahamas themed underwear.  
You could hear them talking about you. How rude of you to stare at them. You made the cute one nervous for God's sake! You've seen a skeleton before but clearly that changes nothing when it comes to being astounded by them. 

Underwear is tediously boring to pretend to look at for so long, and you decide to travel further into the store to avoid Sans' brother at all costs. For some reason, you feel like you'd get tangled up in some loud and long conversation if you spoke to him now.  
However, that plan goes out the window as soon as you're tapped on the shoulder.

"AHEM."

You jump and turn, focusing on the huge monster in front of you. Papyrus beams down and offers his hand.

"I AM THE GREAT AND POPULAR PAPYRUS!" He says in a very rehearsed manner, "AND THIS IS MY ASSOCIATE, BLUE THE MAGNIFICENT!" 

'Blue' nods proudly and plants his hands on his hips.  
You take Papyrus' hand and he shakes yours with an inhuman grip. 

"N-nice to meet you?" You stutter, feeling like you're in the eye of a whirlwind. You sort of let your name slip out as a default greeting and both of them gasp conspicuously.

"WOWIE! COULD YOU BE THE HUMAN FRIEND OF MY BROTHER?"

You nod slowly.  
He turns to Blue and Blue turns to him, both have huge glittering eyes and look way too excited.

"She knows us, Blue!"

"I know, Pyrus!"

Papyrus clears his throat, and dramatically recomposes himself.

"THEN YOU MUST HAVE HEARD ALL ABOUT HOW GREAT I AM!"

Jeez, this guy has an ego the size of Manhattan. You look at Blue who seems teed off about Papyrus's statement.

"HEY! SHE OBVIOUSLY HAS BEEN TOLD OF MY MAGNIFICENCE TOO!"

You try to chip in to stop any arguments.

"Hey, uh...yeah I know Sans. It's great to be finally meeting his brothers!" You smile, but inside you're wondering why Sans never gave you Papyrus's number.  "I'm supposed to see you guys on halloween I think."

Papyrus strikes a pose that's like a thumbs up but more heroic than it should be. 

"YES INDEED! WE ARE SO EXCITED."

"CAN WE GET YOUR NUMBER, (Y/N)?"  
Blue jumps up and down energetically, hands clasped. You notice now that he's wearing blue mittens, and the image makes you smile. These guys aren't so bad, once you get used to the volume. 

"Sure! Why not?" You wave your inhibitions way and pull out your phone. Blue shuffles in close to you and stares down at your phone screen. You feel sort of warm next to him, but surely that's just a coincidence. Bone can't make heat...  
But then you remember the whole 'magic' thing and decide to leave it.

"Here..." you recite your number once very clearly, and Papyrus and Blue furiously tap away on their mobiles. You like the way everything to do with them is colour coordinated, almost like some people coordinate their kids when they have twins.  
Blue has a pale turquoise phone cover, with white stars on the back. He has one of those headphone jack accessories too, and it appears to be some with little plastic stars hanging off it. The stars clack against the plastic back as he types away.  
Papyrus's phone is bright red, and in the bottom right hand corner someone has written 'Bro' in Tipp-ex marker.

"WAIT...AGAIN PLEASE!" Blue frowns down at his phone, unamused by his error.

You recite your number once more,and notice both of them change quite a few numbers.

"THANK YOU LOTS!" Blue grins, and you recieve a text immediately. 

Oop. Make that two texts.

You pocket the phone, hoping you won't regret giving these pair of puppy-like skeletons your contact.  
Seriously, if they had tails, they would be wagging them. 

"Hey, that's okay guys." you smile, "Ooh, can I ask you what you guys like to eat?"

Both look baffled and you laugh nervously. Did you get something wrong again?  
"Eat, you know, like party food."

"OH I SEE, HUMAN!" Papyrus blushes a faint orange colour. "I LIKE SPAGHETTI."

"I LIKE TACOS!"

Your expression goes blank. Tacos? Spaghetti?! You can't make all that and bring it to their house! 

"Ah...anything smaller that I could bring for you to say thank you when I visit?" You really hope they don't use the excuse that tacos are small.

"NYEH HEH HEH!" Papyrus laughs like a maniacal chipmunk, it seems. "BRING NOTHING BUT YOURSELF! IT'LL BE GOOD ENOUGH TO HAVE A GUEST!"

"WE DON'T GET MANY." Blue adds.

"Oh! Well thank you." You're surprised, but still you can't complain. 

"ALTHOUGH, YOU MUST DRESS AS SOMETHING SPOOKTACULAR!" Blue punches the air with a big grin on his face. 

"YESYESYES!" Papyrus grabs you by the arm and starts pulling you around the store. He's remarkably strong and you sort of just go with the flow. Blue tags along next to you, his cheeks glowing a soft lilac and his pupils huge. He keeps looking at you too, and you wonder if humans look to him like a skeleton does to you.

"WE MUST FIND YOU A GREAT OUTFIT!" Papyrus parks you in front of the adults dressing section and you gulp.  
You just wanted something casual! You were never really into-

"TRY THIS." Papyrus hands you a corpse bride outfit, and you snigger.

"Nooooo. I can't wear this! It's too...um...drafty."

Blue elbows his taller counterpart to get in on the action, earning a small 'Nyeh' of surprise.

"WHAT DO YOU LIKE, (Y/N)?" He asks sweetly. Papyrus stares at him and folds his arms.

You feel guilty about telling the truth, but all in all you prefer to wear casual clothes.

"Something skeleton based, please. Not too costume-y."

Blue turns to Papyrus and looks triumphant.  
"MWEH! SEE? I AM BETTER AT TALKING TO GIRLS."

Papyrus huffs.  
"MAYBE."

You spend the next few hours, running around the store, having random candy thrown into your basket and costumes presented to you ever so often. Its a lot of fun, because at first you were nervous and shocked and surprised but now...now these dorks are really starting to cheer you up. You even forget you're in a store and begin to laugh loudly with them, bouncing off their infectious hyperactivity.  
Blue accidentally stole a lollipop at one point, and you told him not to bother paying and keep it a secret, but the little sweetheart actually apologised to one of the cashiers and paid for it fair and square.  
He didn't really 'steal' it, per say, but he did start sucking on it because he read 'sugar free' as just 'free'.  
Easy mistake...you guess.

Later, you have aching wrists from carrying the basket loaded with goods, and still haven't found anything to wear for Halloween. You start unpacking your stuff onto the conveyor belt, not even sure if you bought what you actually needed or not, when Blue runs up out of nowhere and hands you a black shirt with a white cartoonish ribcage printed on the front.

"Oh Blue...this is perfect! Thanks so much!" For some reason you have the urge to pat his head, and when you do he blushes intensely. 

"Stars..." he mutters.

Papyrus looks disgruntled but tries his best not to be too jealous.  
When you pay, of course there's a huge hubbub over who should pay for the food. Nothing is ever simple is it?

"Guys, you've done enough. I'm really happy for your help so at least let me pay." you wave your purse at them and the cashier looks relieved. You gathered the poor woman wasn't a fan of big scary monsters rowing next to her station.  
Both boys reluctantly accept, and you start carrying the bags out of the store.

"WAIT! LET ME TAKE YOUR BAGS, (Y/N), THEY LOOK HEAVY." Papyrus bounds out after you and takes the bags without hesitation, then continues to stride alongside you with Blue like two skeletal bodyguards.

You talk about candy and spooky things and what will happen when you visit them on Halloween, which Papyrus likes to enthuse about being only a day or so away.  
Eventually you stop outside your apartment block, suddenly aware  of the fact that you've lead two strangers to your home. You sigh  defeatedly and turn to the boys, letting Papyrus hand you the bags.

"Guys, it's been really fun. I can't wait to see you again." you smile and so do they. "Stay safe will you? And say hi to your brother from me!"

They nod, and Blue raises his hand.

"I WILL TEXT YOU AS SOON AS WE PART!" he starts to back away. Papyrus, trying to outdo him, announces he will call you before then, and then they playfully chase each other off.  
Just like puppies.

You laugh and shake your head. Halloween is going to be so much fun, you can tell.

***

Dr Bones  
20:41

-i hear you met a certain brother of mine today

-I did! And another one. Do you have two brothers?"

Sans doesn't reply, and you take that moment to make a late night snack of a true peanut butter jelly sandwich and get into bed to eat it.

-another one? so you met blue too.  
-just asked him, heh

-You live together? So he is your brother. You do look alike.

-he's not my brother, per say.

-So like a half brother? 

-somethin like that ;)

You receive another message from your new store buddies. Theyve been in touch since you separated, as promised.

Papyrus is raving about how good the cuisine will be when you arrive tomorrow, and Blue has asked what your favourite colour is.  
You reply to Blue, saying you like the colour blue to please him. Man, you wish you could see that cute little blushy thing he does. You bet he was doing it now. 

Sans replies a little later, after you've showered and got dressed into your pajamas.

-sorry, kiddo  
-had to put out a fire

You take this as a joke, and laugh. 

-Oh right, lol  
-So what are you doing now?

He sends you a photo taken from his point of view, looking down between his thighs on the bed at a huge tub of the same caramel cup ice cream you had the other night.  
He's wearing...basketball shorts?

-u said this stuff was good  
-i'm hooked

You giggle, imagining ice cream dripping through his ribs and making a mess. That image turns unwantedly sexual and you try to change the subject. 

-What can I say?  
-You're welcome.

-heheh, ya know, ice-till can't believe you're going through with the whole Halloween thing

-What makes you say that?

-idk, i guess i haven't seen everyone so excited since we came to the surface.  
-its almost too good to be true.

"Awww." You say out loud, touched.

-Aw don't mention it.  
-Your family is super cute btw.

-oh no, were they?  
-damn. am i not super cute too?

-Well duh  
-Dem tasty ribs amirite?

You laugh at your own reference, and hope he is too.

-so tasty.  
-hey, soon you'll get ta taste em

-Woah there, buddy  
-The only ribs I eat are spare and covered in sweet and sour barbeque sauce.

-heheh. i'm sure we could arrange that.

You find yourself blushing. God why is your brain doing this to you tonight? It's probably just the nerves.

You talk for a while longer, before Sans recommends you go to bed a little earlier than usual because you apparently will experience the true meaning of exhaustion tomorrow evening, when you've spent two hours with Papyrus and Blue.  
You go to bed feeling happier than ever, and so hyped for Halloween.

***

It's amazing how easy it is to waste an entire day until something exciting happens. Your tactic this morning was sleep in until lunchtime, then check your emails and watch YouTube for way too long before realising it's already five PM, you're in your underwear and Christ knows how you're going to get to the skeleton house.

You tug the shirt Blue found for you over your head and ignore the snugness around your chest area as you send Sans a hasty plead for help.

-sorry, kid. i thought i had this day all -mapped- out.  
-here, it's a good job i'm so compass-ionate.

He sends you his location just before you leave the apartment, a huge bag of Doritos under one arm and your keys in your mouth. You sling your handbag over one shoulder and quickly thank Sans before preparing to follow a phone, which you know is always a glitchy business.

It works surprisingly well, and here you are: standing outside the most lovely house you've ever seen. It's newly built, mostly wood and glass, and it all looks neat and calm on the outside. There are eight pumpkins on the front steps, and someone has hung glowing skull lanterns over the door. The slim windows either side of the door are covered by coats and various shoes by the looks of things, but you can hear music and voices inside.  
...  
Lots of voices.  
Maybe you got the wrong house? Outside there's a garage with three doors, and you whistle, noting that whoever lives here is loaded.

You'll knock and ask for directions, partly because you want to see what the inside looks like. You bet they have golden chalices to drink from and a candelabra on the dresser.

However, the door opens, and you're greeted by a nervous looking Sans, who's not dressed as anything but is wearing socks with ghosts on. You crack a smile.

"eyyyyy! if it isn't my human friend." He smirks slightly. "hey guys! (y/n) is here!"

As he steps aside to let you in, the whole world seems to slow and grind to a halt as the realisation sets in.  
There aren't just three skeletons in this house...  
There are eight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Onward with the story!  
> Please leave kudos and comment if you're enjoying the story so far!
> 
> Next time Sans has a lot of explaining to do, and the flirting is off the charts. You meet some interesting characters too...
> 
> Sorry if I'm a little rusty. I've not written very much before but I'll do my best!
> 
> Thanks for reading!!!


	4. Halloween

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eight skeletons, one girl and a party.
> 
> What could happen?

Eight skeletons.  
You can't believe this is happening. To be honest you feel scared, surrounded in people you don't know. After removing your shoes, you turn sharply to Sans' sheepish grin. He holds his hands up defensively, and you frown and open your mouth to speak.  
However, your arm is gripped by two familiar faces: Blue and Papyrus, who both look absolutely elated and Blue's eyes have turned into adorable star shapes in his excitement.

"(Y/N)!" He cheers, helping the taller skeleton drag you into the party. You let them take you in, but you throw Sans a death stare whilst he closes the door behind you.  
Papyrus is dressed as a superhero: big flowing red cape and an odd combination of hot pants over a top that someone has sewn some kind of logo on. He's wearing a chefs apron too, but it's covered in red sauce which makes him look sort of like he's walked out of an abattoir. Blue is a spaceman, but missing a helmet. The costumes are home-made but very well crafted. You want to ask who made them.

"ARE YOU HUNGRY? I MADE SPAGHETTI!"

"AND I MADE TACOS FOR YOU, (Y/N)! COME SEE THEM!"

The boys give you no room for rejection as they accept your gift of nachos and escort you to the kitchen entrance, which is a doorless arch in the wall leading to a bright room with yellow and orange floor tiles and a big black scorch mark over the oven.  
Eek.  
You find yourself willfully clutching Papyrus' waist, or lack of, like a lifeline.  
"Protect me, big, tall hero." You mutter.

"heyyyy, li'l bro. let us meet the new girl first."

A skeleton just slightly shorter than Papyrus, and very similar looking indeed, slides in front of Blue and the kitchen, stopping you in your tracks.  
He's wearing what you suppose is a Halloween costume, but it appears to be quite literally a grass skirt over khaki sweatpants that come down to the middle of his shins, a sombrero and a gay pride tee shirt.  
It looks as though he's picked an item at random from a yard sale and decided to call it a costume. 

Fair enough, you can't really talk seeing as you're only wearing a ribcage print shirt and black jeans.

"Hi." you hold up your hand nervously and he gives you a wink that makes you grip poor Papyrus harder. If Sans had told you there would be this many huge monsters in his house you might have been more mentally  prepared.

"th' name's Stretch. What's yours, honey?"  
His voice is husky and low, but he speaks smoothly like a DJ.

"THIS IS (Y/N), BROTHER! I TOLD YOU ABOUT HER YESTERDAY!" Blue puffs out his chest and releases your arm to put both hands on his hips. Stretch's expression tells you that Blue wasn't supposed to say that. 

"ey, stop hoggin' tha lady and let's meet her already!" 

That voice...  
You turn, and across the room, leaning against the back of the couch with a sultry smirk and huge red eye lights is the guy who prank called you the other night.  
You're sure.  
You can't mistake the voice that's been playing around and around in your head all week like a stuck record.

Your prankster licks his upper lip with a surprising red object, presumably his tongue, and gazes at you under his eyelids, knowing that you know who he is.  
You're tempted to go over to him and tell him off for freaking you out, but to be honest, he freaks you out a little too much for that.  
First of all, he's big and well-built like Sans, only this guy is a few inches over six foot. Not to mention his sharp, handsome features and devilish grin, exposing a mouth full of fangs one one glinting gold tooth.  
He's wearing a black muscle tank for God's sake...and ripped black jeans!  
The only non-threatening thing about him is the Playboy bunny ears atop his skull.

"I SHALL INTRODUCE THE HUMAN TO EVERYONE!" Papyrus marches into the centre of the room, taking your arm and then shortly you with him.  
This gives you a full scape oh their living room: and you're impressed.  
It's a little messy, but nonetheless tasteful. The skull lantern fairy lights decorate the perimeter of the ceiling, illuminating the soft red walls and reflecting off the huge window panels that face the driveway. The carpet is clean and plush under your feet, and the sofas are radically purple and brown, but still nice. The television is huge, you might add, and hooked up to games consoles and boxes you didn't know existed. 

Much to your surprise, Papyrus musters a real whisper.

"Never fear, (Y/N)...they really aren't as spooky as they look." 

You look up into his sincere eyes and smile, nodding in response and slipping out of his grasp to hold his arm instead. The skeletons around the room scared you when you walked in, and now with eight pairs of eyes on you, you're beginning to feel the pressure.

"YOU KNOW MY BROTHER AND I, AND YOU KNOW BLUE HIS BROTHER STRETCH." Papyrus gestures to all of them in a sweep of his hand. You see Sans slink off into the kitchen, probably to hide from your impending wrath.  
You weren't so mad at him for not telling you about the number of guests any more, especially as you really just wanted to have a good time. 

"THAT IS RED WITH THE...UH...RED EYES." You avoid eye contact with Red again, because you can feel his hard stare and worry about what he's thinking. If you can't see him he's not there.  
"RED'S BROTHER, EDGE LEFT A FEW MINUTES AGO...HE'LL BE BACK IN A SECOND." 

An emo version of Blue swaggers over from the other side of the sofa to lean against it next to Red. He keeps his distance from the slightly shorter and stockier skeleton though, and his purple irises glare at you.

"THIS IS BLACK. HIS BROTHER, RUSS, IS THERE." Papyrus points to a skeleton you are sure has come out of nowhere, except he looks as though he was there the whole time: chin lazily propped up on his folded arms, sitting on the couch looking over the top. His rusty orange eye lights are gazing at you dreamily, like some dopey dog.  
Speaking of dogs, he's got wolf ears taped to his head, and a big muddy red collar around his neck. It looks like he's a werewolf tonight. He really suits it.  
His scowling brother has a bolt through his temples that's hopefully fake, and a dark shirt that reads: 'NO MERCY'. 

"Hi guys...it's nice to finally meet you all." you give them a small wave, and Russ waves a huge paw back. "I had no idea Sans had so many brothers." you giggle nervously, and Red chuckles deeply.

"hah, we're not his brothers." 

You spy Sans stuffing cake into his face coming out of the kitchen, but as soon as he hears you mention the number of unexpected skeletons he turns on his heel to retreat.

"WE'RE ALL FAMILY, THOUGH." Papyrus beams, and Stretch starts fiddling with the phone on the docking station atop the bookcase. The phone controls the music, which is changing as he flips through the playlist.

"we would have met you sooner, (y/n)." Stretch adds as he turns up the volume on his chosen song. "but a certain somebody didn't mention you until yesterday evening."

You gather he means Sans by his cheeky grin, which you mirror. Russ seems to smile a little wider too, and gets up to go into the gloomy hallway through a second arch.

"SO, (Y/N)! WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE MY SPAGHETTI?"

"AND MY TACOS!" Blue bounces up and down in the kitchen doorway. "PLEASE?"

You sigh and give in, a bigger smile growing on your face.  
"Alright, boys. I'm coming."

When Papyrus said spaghetti, you'd expected food, not char grilled pasta noodles and sparkling Tomato sauce, which looks like it could have done with a few extra hours less on the stove.  
And when Blue had said tacos, you'd expected them to be...well...less saturated in blue craft glitter.

"IT'S YOUR FAVOURITE COLOUR, (Y/N)!" Blue squeals, pushing the plate towards you.  
It's going to be really hard explaining to these poor boys why you cant eat this. Maybe you could pull the old 'bite but don't swallow' method...but you'd still be finding glitter between your teeth for days to come.

"Wow guys..." You wring your hands. Why have they done this? There is no malice behind their boisterousness, so it can't be deliberate. Clearly the sweethearts can't cook for their lives.  
It's very endearing, but also inedible.

"Should we eat yet? I don't want to spoil anything..."

"DON'T WORRY! YOU COULD NEVER RUIN ANYTHING."  
Papyrus' genuine innocence makes your heart sink. Your plan failed.  
"AND SANS HAS ALREADY EATEN THREE OF THE CAKES THE EMBASSY GAVE US." He states brightly.  
Sans, leaning against the fridge, blushes and shrugs, picking up another cupcake and biting it with an element of guilt. You laugh and then direct your attention back to your predicament.  
Oh yes.  
The glitter.

"Maybe I'll just have a little bit." You say, the optimism in your voice very much not reflected in your inner emotions.

The taco with the least glitter is thankfully easy to pick up, so it doesn't look like you're choosing it on purpose.  
Blue watches you with his big starry eyes, waiting patiently as you lift the taco to your mouth, and manage to pop it in whole because they're thankfully quite small.  
Oh god...the crunch.  
As soon as it's in your mouth you want to spit it back out.  
It tastes okay apart from the actual chunks of glitter that stick to your teeth and tickle the back of your throat.  
Eyes watering, you stick a thumb up to Blue, and he cheers, jumping up and down again.

The taco from hell is still in your mouth, and all that's left is the swallowing bit.  
You chew on it to stall for time, thinking about what to do.  
You don't particularly want to spend the rest of the night with a stomachache, but you also don't want to hurt Blue's feelings.

"hey, (y/n)!"

You turn to the door, aware you look like a chipmunk.  
Stretch mouths something and points at you.

"Mh?" You cover your mouth with one hand.

"Spit it out!" He mouths again, and this time you get what he's saying.  
Hurriedly, you eject the disgusting contents of your mouth into your hand and quickly hide that hand inside your other one.  
You are free.

"got any songs you wanna dance to?" Stretch pretends to have been asking that the whole time, and you grin.

"Not at the moment, thanks."  
The grossness in your right hand is really starting to ick you out, and so you excuse yourself to go to the bathroom.

According to the papers, some monsters don't have the same digestive systems as regular animals, and so don't need the toilet part of the bathroom. Their bathrooms are sometimes just a bath in a room.  
When you get to the brother's bathroom, you're glad that it's still usable, if not only a little written on in permanent marker.  
Seriously, there's a whole readable conversation on there.

As you clean your hands and wash out your mouth, you read part of the epic novel written on the toilet seat.

'first.'  
'SECOND!'  
'you guys are so sad.'  
'third.'  
'I LIKE MAYONNAISE ON TOAST...IS THAT BAD?'  
'you're gonna die, paps.'  
'OH NO! NOT AGAIN!'  
'again?'  
'FOURTH!'

You can't help but chuckle. It looks like a lot of fun in this house.  
Outside the bathroom is a hallway of bedroom doors, each one is decorated in various notices and signboards. You're tempted to snoop but that wouldn't make a great first impression.

Back downstairs, Papyrus corners you, requesting you try his spaghetti. You politely decline, using the totally untrue excuse that you're too full for that.  
A little later Sans catches you too.

"look, (y/n), i'm really sorry i didn't tell ya sooner." He says, rubbing the back of his skull. "can you forgive me? i just didn't want to overwhelm you."  
You sigh and smile at him.

"It's okay, Sans. I was just surprised, that's all."

He looks relieved.  
"hey, would you dance with me?" He chuckles, jerking a thumb towards the empty living room floor. "maybe if you dance, some of the guys will too."

"Oh..." You gulp and glance at the baron dancefloor. "I don't know if I can."

"sure ya can! you just move your feet..." He taps his foot on the heel for emphasis and holds his hands out. 

You rub your arm and avoid eye contact.  
"Sorry. I really don't think I could."

His face falls, and almost puts his hand on your shoulder before he realises you wouldn't be comfortable with that.

"s'okay, kiddo. wanna get something to drink instead?" He offers, putting his hands in his pockets.

You smirk.  
"Getting the girl drunk are we? You sneaky bastard."

Sans laughs and makes a clicking noise with his tongue.  
"you got me."

He leads you into a back room, containing a washing machine and a wine rack of anything but wine.

"red's got a skele-ton of good stuff in here." Sans chuckles, bringing out a bottle of vodka. There's a note taped to it that says 'FUCK OFF'.

"Woaaah...a little early for that isn't it?" You point to the bottle and wince. The last time you drank vodka, things got pretty  weird. "I don't think it'd be a good idea to-"

"chill, kid." Sans chuckles. "we'll make punch or somethin', don't get so nervous." he walks past you, screwing up Red's note and shoving it in his pocket. "come on, if you won't dance with me, at least mix fruit and alcohol together in a bowl with me."

You sigh and laugh a little.

"Alright. I probably should loosen up a bit." 

He leads you back into the kitchen, and you can hear Blue and someone with a similar voice shouting in the living room. However, you can tell it's nothing serious, because the kind of things they're yelling is along the lines of :

"I'M GONNA BEAT YOU WITH THIS GRAVITY LAUNCHER!"

"EAT MY MANTIS BALLS, NEWBIE!"

Making drinks with Sans involves a lot of fruit based puns and plenty of fruit based innuendos.

"so, (y/n), why don't you peel my banana over here?"

"Sans..."

"no, seriously, either that or let me stick my banana in your bowl. or you could eat it."

"Jesus christ."

"you're right, banana won't taste good. my banana isn't very juicy." Sans is trying so hard not to laugh, and you're smiling and you hate it, playfully telling him to stop. 

He slices a lemon and proceeds to make more jokes.  
"do you like juicy bananas, (y/n)?"

"Bananas aren't juicy, Sans."

"of course they are! i've eaten my fair share."

"SANS! YOU'RE NOT DISGUSTING (Y/N) WITH YOUR LEWD JOKES ARE YOU?" Papyrus marches in and starts digging around in the fridge. Stretch waltzes in after him and leans around the former to retrieve a honey bottle. You haven't seen those since you were a kid.

"have you handled his banana yet?" Stretch leans against the kitchen island you're working on, and steals a piece of the apple you've just sliced up. You make a sobbing noise and rest your head against the worktop in despair over the banana joke, laughing soundlessly.

"she loves it really." Stretch says, teasing the apple in his mouth from one side to the other like a cigarette and making eye contact with Sans. You look up just in time to miss a challenging glance flash between the two skeletons.

Bruno Mars' 24k magic starts playing in the next room, and Stretch purses his lips to hide a smile. You're tapping your feet and wanting to move.

"good song's on now, honey. wanna dance?" Stretch flips the apple between his teeth again, looking seductively under his eyelids.

"already asked her that." Sans drops a handful of fruit into the large bowl of vodka and juice next to you watching nonchalantly as the honey is emptied into it as well. "said she didn't wanna."

Stretch only moves his eyes to look at Sans before they move seamlessly back to you. "waddaya say, honey? like i said it's a good song."

You look at Sans, then back to Stretch. He's right, you like the song, and dancing would be a nice way to 'loosen up' like Sans had suggested.

Stretch sees the want in your eyes, holding out a hand.  
"c'mon. let's see what you've got." he grins.

You laugh and take his hand, skirting around the island and following him out the door. As you leave you glance back at Sans, and wave, feeling a pang of guilt.  
"I'll get a drink later, okay?" 

He watches you go, forcing a smile before letting a frown cloud his features once you've turned your back. 

Stretch suddenly turns when you reach the middle of the living room, and spins you outward in time to the music, making you squeal with laughter. He smirks, catches you and spins you back his way, letting go to let you do you own thing. 

Dancing with Stretch is fun, and your cheeks hurt from smiling so much. His dancing is so lazy and mostly he just watches you, and mouths the lyrics, the same pleased smile on his skeletal lips.  
You're a little nervous and self conscious as you move, but once the song has picked up you're getting out of breath, your pulse is raised and you're starting to dance much better. It's been ages since you've had so much fun: you know the song too, and sometimes you share lines, or he takes your hand and holds it up for you to spin under, as well as acting out the words to the song overzealously with you, which just makes you laugh. You're just glad he's ditched the grass skirt.

The blush on your face may be a little less to do with the exertion than you'd thought.

"hey, (y/n)." someone gruffly calls your name, and you're taken into the arms of someone- quite literally- tall, dark and...  
You look up.  
Oh yes, very handsome. For a skeleton, of course.  
He's the werewolf from earlier, still wearing the ears and the collar. His golden fang almost glows in the dim lighting now that outside is dark.

The next song begins and you can't help but smile, wondering who in this household listens to the Arctic Monkeys. Russ rocks you against him for the intro, and you would feel uncomfortable if he wasn't so warm and if you weren't in such a good mood.  
You've been stolen again, it seems.

"How are ya, darlin'?" he asks, and you take ahold of his forearms and pull yourself away to dance when the music picks up. 

"I'm great!" you beam, finding that Russ, like Stretch, doesn't move his body too much either. You manage to get him to step with you, however, and soon you're feeling a little nostalgic for some reason, loving Russ' strange sweet smell and the music around you. You falter, forgetting to sing along like you were, before Russ picks you up and spins you around.

"hey, don't stop dancin', sugar." he smiles, "you're good. I like your shirt, by the way." 

"Ha! Thanks." 

Russ starts singing for you.

"Are you mi~ne?"

You start grinning again. He sings well, almost exactly like the singer of the actual song, and you move together once more.

Throughout the song, you almost fall into a trance, the lyrics, the melody and the slow beat lulls you into a waking daze, spinning from partner to partner with each new song: Russ, Stretch...you even jumped around with Blue at one point...  
And then you're with a partner you've never seen before.  
He's dressed darkly, in black jeans and a sleeveless tee with a pair of fangs printed on the front.  
You're holding his hips, swinging from side to side, bouncing with the rhythm.  
His hands are on your shoulders, and one drops to cradle your waist whilst you're moving your hips, sending an unfamiliar buzz up your spine. Throughout the next song, you're obliged stay with this new partner because he knows how to dance, but soon you become curious.  
When the song ends you look up-

"F-fuck me..." you curse, stepping backwards.  
He's huge. He's by far the tallest skeleton in the house, and terrifying to say the least.  
You suddenly feel light-headed, eyes roving over those massive fangs and glaring red eyes, the crack running down from his right eye and the striking tattoos covering his arms in unique, otherworldly patterns, almost as if he was born with them.

"I'M SORRY IF I STARTLED, YOU, HUMAN." He growls, "I TEND TO HAVE THAT AFFECT ON PEOPLE."

You mouth words you want to say but can't.  
"Uh...that's okay...hah...godyouresotall."

"PARDON?" The monster crouches to your level. "I'D TELL YOU NOT TO BE AFRAID, BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WANT YOU TO BE."  
He takes your chin and uses his thumb to stroke your cheek like he would a child. You almost frown, but you realise you can't really do much.

"YOU'RE A LOVELY DANCER." He smirks, "SHOW ME AGAIN SOMETIME."  
It's normally a thing said as an offer, but he definitely says it as an order.

He stands up, reminding you of his crazy height, and strides off into the kitchen.  
Sans comes out after him and hands you a red cup of something that smells like summer. He sips his.  
"that's edge." he says, looking over his shoulder. "it looks as though he's in a good mood today, which is unnatural."

"Edge? Red's brother?" you swirl your drink nervously.

"yup." Sans grins. "scary bunch, aren't they?"

You nod and he laughs.  
"wanna come help us eat what black, papyrus and blue have battled over for the last fifteen minutes?" he jerks a thumb towards the bright doorway to the kitchen.

"Sure. Can I just spend some time with you, though?" you sigh. "I'm not sure if I have the energy for Papyrus or Blue right now."

Again, he chuckles and sips his drink again.  
"if ya want. didja have a good time out here?" His tone might be ever so slightly bitter right now, and you understand that. You feel really sorry for Sans: you did just get up and leave him.

"Yeah...sorry for abandoning you." You look down into your cup. "Can I dance with you later? After food?"

He pouts.  
"no. too late."

"What?! Please, Sans..."

Sans snorts, stopping the punch coming out of his nose with his hand and laughing.  
"stars, kid...i'm just messin' with ya."

You sigh in relief, taking a sip from your cup. The drink is mighty sweet from the honey Stretch added to it, but it's just what you need to help you recover from that weird dance sesh you just experienced.  
"Good grief. Is everything a joke with you?" You tease, lightly punching his shoulder.  
Except this time Sans isn't responsive right away. His pupils phase out into nothingness and he just says, in a voice much lower and reader than his usual one:  
"not everything."

He blinks his pupils back and apologises if you were freaked out by that. You have to admit that, actually, you're really worried if he's okay.

"i'm fine, kid. and hey, i'm looking forwards to having my turn with you later."

"I'm sorry?" You splutter, taking that comment the wrong way and almost spitting out your drink.

"oh god...no i meant dancing, kid, dancing."  
His brow creases, concerned. "just a warning though, everyone is gonna wanna dance with you at some point."

You're really liking the punch Sans has made, and know you're downing it much too fast.  
"Why's that?"

He shrugs.  
"it's a monster thing to be friendly, and also a family thing to be competitive." 

"I get that."  
Oh look, you're out of juice. You scold yourself because now you're craving more, and that means more alcohol, which means less boundaries. Maybe you should eat something. "What kind of food did you say Papy and blue made?"

Sans goes a little blue and starts to sweat.  
"heh, uh... I didn't." He's finished his cup too. "you handled earlier pretty well, but black will make ya eat his burritos if you go in there alone."

You gulp. Why were there so many terrible cooks in this house?  
"I'm guessing he's just as good at cooking as Papyrus and Blue?"

"worse." He admits.  
A werewolf gets up from the sofa and goes to change the music and Sans looks from him to you. He thinks for a moment.  
"how are your terms with Russ?"

Five minutes later, you're standing behind Russ and feeling rather inferior. Sans has gone to order real food upstairs where no one can hear him and get their feelings hurt, and everyone else is gathering in the kitchen to feast upon...well...unholy amounts of glitter and caramelised carbon.

Black is proudly standing by his burritos of horror, and you use poor Russ as a shield from his brother.

"I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY NO ONE WOULD WANT TO EAT THESE! YOU'RE CLEARLY BLUFFING, YOU RED EYED BASTARD!" Black turns his head dismissively away from Red, who is leaning against the island counter with an air of confidence, pretending to inspect his nails whilst his monstrous brother stands behind him with his hands on his shoulders like a bodyguard.

"stop kiddin' yourself, black. the only one in here who'd ever be able to keep down your cooking is russ."

At the mention of his name, Russ reaches out and steals the plate that beholds Black's gruesome creations: burritos darker than his name, and grosser than the fake bolt through his skull.  
"don't mind if i do." Russ emotionlessly devours half of one of the burritos and you cringe, but emerge from behind his back.

"Thanks, Russ." You guiltily scamper around to where stretch is leaning, and begin to eat the nacho chips in the bag he's holding.

"AT LAST! (Y/N), YOU'RE SO GOOD AT DANCING, I MUST LEARN FROM YOU!" Blue sweetly showers you with praise and you find yourself blushing as the others join in.

"gorgeous."

"great fun."

"AGREED."

"Oh stop it." You smile, shoving a bunch of chips in your mouth.

"MODESTY IS NOT NEEDED IN THIS SITUATION, (Y/N)!" Blue declares, and unfortunately then proceeds to offer you another of his hellish tacos.

"thank you, li'l bro." Stretch copies Russ and removes the plate from Blue's reach, eating the food on it himself.  
You feel awful, making these poor brothers take the brunt of the blow for you. It's really kind of them to do this, but you can't help feeling like a nuisance.

Once Blue has finished fuming over how unfair it is on you that you don't get to eat his food, you thank Stretch quietly and he just smiles, pretending not to have heard.  
You pour yourself more punch, and sip on that whilst talking to some of the brothers.  
The most eager is Papyrus, because something tells you that he's drunk quite a bit of punch without realising it's alcoholic.  
He's a little on the tipsy side, but you don't mind.

You ask him a few questions about his life, and he reveals that he works as a policeman in training, and that one day he wants to be like in the movies with a gun and a car, but he'd never use the gun.  
He tells you about how Sans is such a lazybones at home, which makes you laugh. Papyrus is so animated when he speaks, it's almost as if he uses his hands to talk rather than his voice, and when he starts to sober up mid-conversation, he starts talking about how sad he is to never have been in the royal guard back underground.

"Aw..." you hesitate, but decide he needs a hug, and wrap your arms around his waist gently. He's so thin that you're afraid you might break him. "You'll be a policeman soon, Papyrus. You've got loads of time. What are you? Twenty?"

"TWENTY ONE." He corrects, and you feel his hand gently brush along your back and slip around to hold your waist. He's warm, and you don't even care how because it makes you feel safe. Papyrus may be the most innocent person you've ever met, but you're sure he would do anything to protect his friends and family. He talks a lot about his family, and especially stresses how much he loves Sans. 

"Hey, can I call you Papy?" you ask, remembering how everyone seems to shorten his name.  
He thinks about it. 

"I SUPPOSE SO." He sighs, and you laugh, cuddling closer and making him blush.

You notice that to your right and sitting on the windowsill, Red is watching you, but your eyes take in the view of his bare feet and ankles, all the way up his calves and then his thighs, and up his stomach and chest and neck to make awkward eye contact with those scarlet irises and shamefully pretend to have been examining the fridge.  
It's incredibly hard to hold eye contact with Red, possibly because he makes you feel hot all over when you do. It's almost like chills, but on the opposite end of the thermostat.

He looks down between his legs and chuckles. "are ya hungry, (y/n)?"

Oooh... goddamn it, you can feel that hot ice slithering up your spine. He made that sound so sexual, and the atmosphere turns thicker the longer you take to respond.

"Yeah... kinda." 

In response, Red shows off his magic by retrieving a pizza from the freezer and putting it in the oven remotely, hands behind his head like it's no big deal. You smile, his red colour is really pretty, and the trick reminds you of when you first met Sans and he made your drink hover...  
And drinks remind you of Sans' super delicious punch awaiting your service right in front of you.

Three cups later, everyone is looking a bit giddy, and the kitchen is certainly the liveliest room in the house, overtaking the living room where Black and Blue are back to yelling video game related abuse to each other during their matches.

You smell pizza and quickly get it out the oven, using a hand towel so that you don't burn yourself. Papyrus despairs over how you mustn't serve yourself because that's his job, but you insist, because it smells divine and you can't wait.

You're just about drunk enough so that, somehow, Red convinces you that letting him feed you is a good idea, and so that's what you do, giggling like the drunk adults that you are and making a bit of a mess.

"c'mon, c'mon...get it in your- no, fuck almighty..."  
All the cheese came off the pizza slice after your first bite, and it's now making itself out to be very awkward to eat. "(y/n)...seriously just...gah!"  
You can't stop laughing, and the way he gets so frustrated is infinitely amusing.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry..." You wheeze, trying to stop the cheese sticking to your face and uselessly failing.

"ah jeez...sweetheart...dough-n't ya think this is a little ridiculous? Here..."  
Red frowns slightly and uses his thumb to help you out and clean your face. You stop laughing to watch him look at you whilst flirtatiously licking his fingers.

"mm. there, problem solved." He grins.

One pizza could never feed eight skeletons and one human, so the food is gone in seconds, which is a little disappointing but hey, it doesn't really matter because you're dying to dance again.

"Red?"

"yeah, doll?" he replies casually. You snicker, blushing even though you've become aware that his pet names are just like a catchphrase of his.

"Can you dance with me? I don't wanna be alone."

Red's eyes flash with something mischievous.  
"i thought you'd never ask."

He follows you into the living room, and you're surprised to find Stretch changing the music. The weird thing is, you're sure you saw him drinking with Russ in the kitchen behind you when you left.  
Maybe you're more drunk than you thought. After all, you are dancing with Red.

'Talk dirty to me' starts to play and Red starts to laugh, flipping Stretch the middle finger.  
"fuck you, orange." He looks sort of embarrassed but rolls with it, mimicking the words like he's talking to you, beckoning you to come closer.

You grin and throw yourself into everything he guides you to, and as the song escalates so do your movements, until you're both laughing at your attempts at dirty dancing.

"c'mon, sweetheart. ya gotta use more hip, less everything else." He grabs and spins you so that your back is pressed to his chest and his arms hold you to him like the bars of a cage. "just sway your hips... that's it...now push...you got it..." He bites his lip because you can't see, and reacts to your grinding with teasing brushes of his body on yours. He's hot in the figurative and literal sense of the word, it's like being spooned by a radiator.  
"hahah, can ya drop?" He grins, untangling you from his arms and turning you to face him. Your cheeks are practically glowing and you're boiling hot, buzzing with energy.

"Drop?" You pant, and he laughs.

"seriously? like this-"  
You're not sure what he's doing at first, but when the realisation strikes, your breath catches because he's so fucking good at it.  
Red drops to the floor on his toes and slowly stands back up, making a smooth arch in his back that shows off his strength and his 'ass', his hands trailing up his legs.

He finishes, still laughing about it, except you sort of left planet earth and it takes a few seconds for you to register that he's looking concerned.  
He frowns.  
"(y/n)?" 

"Woah... you're so good at...at that." You press your palms to your cheeks to hide the redness, overcome by giddy laughter.

"that's 'cus i'm a slut, sweetheart." He winks, "now let's see you try."

Okay so, because Red made it look so easy, you are sure you'll be amazing at slutty dancing...  
However being female gives you no natural ability like you'd hoped, and you both just end up tiredly collapsed on the carpet, snickering and properly feeling the alcohol.

Well, Red is pretending, but you don't know that. You're blissfully oblivious and just having the best fun of your life getting to meet all of these new friends, despite their weirdnesses.  
You decide that you prefer Red to Edge now, because to be honest you think Edge might be a bit too cocky for his own good.  
Oh and he's by far the scariest skeleton of them all.

The doorbell rings and you heavily lift your head to look, maling the blurr you see into Sans collecting food.  
He walks past your head and chuckles.

"good punch?" he asks rhetorically, putting the takeout on the coffee table. 

"Good shit." you sigh, holding an arm out for him to help you up with. He does, and a slow song begins to play. It's gentle and sweet. Sans takes his chance and tiredly sways you from side to side, holding your hands.  
You smile and collapse into his chest, giving up and just holding him in a dance-hug. You feel his chest shudder with his quiet laughter, and you make a soft moaning noise against his ribs.

"I DEMAND WE WATCH A MOVIE! ENOUGH OF THIS DANCING!" Papyrus raves, storming across the room to flop into the couch. 

Red chuckles, brushing the backs of his legs off as he gets up.  
"just 'cus ya didn't get ta dance with 'er."

Papyrus turns a faint orangish-red colour, and splutters:  
"THAT IS INCORRECT! I-I DON'T CARE IF I DANCE W-WITH HER OR NOT!" He huffs. "RUDE!"

Stretch ambles in and Blue follows, hugging a bag of microwave popcorn.  
"i smell chinese food." the former says, his smile growing.

"REALLY? THAT'S MY FAVOURITE APART FROM MEXICAN, ITALIAN AND SUSHI!"

You laugh at Blue's innocence, letting Sans do all the work. You could just fall asleep like this...snuggled into his warm body, being rocked gently to the slow and calming music.

You're aware more skeletons arrive and sit down, but you stay with Sans, immersed in the most lazy waltz of all time.

You look up, and find him gazing down at you.  
"Thank you, Sans." You murmur, and he rubs your back.

"no problem, kiddo. i've never seen everyone so well behaved." He chuckles and your smile grows.

"I'll have to come around more often, then."

"maybe ya should."

"OY!"

You perk up, and Sans turns to the shouter.  
It's Black.

"TURN THAT RACKET OFF AND SIT WITH US ALREADY!"

Sans sighs and shrugs.

"Okay, can you excuse me for just a second?" You ask sheepishly, hinting that you need the loo. Sans blushes blue a little and waves you away.

"y-yeah! of course."

You dash upstairs, and once finished you come back to find another space problem.  
First in Starbucks, now in a living room; this is happening a lot.

"Uh...guys."

Red shoves Sans, nearly spilling the tub of chow mein in his hand onto his lap.  
Sans curses, and budges up, giving you a meager space to squeeze into.

 

 "Sorry!" you barely fit between the huge skeletons, crushed up against them and unable to move. You'd expect it to be uncomfortable to be squashed by two men made of bone, but it's not. It's more like just sitting between humans.

"don' matter, doll." Red spoons a ridiculous amount of rice into the tub he's using as a plate. You roll you eyes and wave to Papyrus who shifts to sit on the floor by your feet. Blue joins him and you pat both their heads. 

The film is a classic Dracula adaptation, because Papyrus objected to anything skeleton related. At first it isn't scary, but your sleepiness makes you feel nervous and frightened a little way in, and you hide by leaning on Red's shoulder. Sans drapes one arm over you shoulders and Red slips his around your waist to cuddle you comfortingly.

"don't be scared, kid. we gotcha."

You smile, your heart filling up with joyous warmth, no longer feeling scared of the monsters around you, or the lame movie on the TV screen. Everything is so perfect and comfortable that it doesn't take long for you to fall asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's not on Halloween guys! Something came up and I had to delay writing a bit.
> 
> Next time:  
> Regrets!


	5. Short Notice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short interlude where you have a slightly embarrassing accident which leads to a few regrets and you having to leave the skeleton house early, but hey, looks like you'll be seeing them again much sooner than expected.

When you wake up, your head is pounding. Regrets about the vodka begin to flitter about in your mind as you swallow against a dry and sore throat, hating life.

"Mmm..." you groan, and shift. You can't move, and it's because you're in the middle of a skeleton sandwich. 

"Guh...damn, these guys are heavy..."

Moving Sans or Red is impossible. Both are much bigger than you, and Red has eaten at least an extra five pounds worth. Not only that but both are sound asleep, and you don't fancy trying to wake two huge monsters who will inevitably be just as hungover (if not moreso) as yourself. 

You sigh and free one arm from between your thigh and Sans', and dig up your phone because it's sticking into your hip and threatening to bruise. It would be pretty awkward to walk home with a suspicious hip bruise after spending the night with some men.

No one has messaged you all night. It's kind of saddening but you know now, despite the little sting of loneliness, that you have at least six friends asleep around you.  
It's fun to look at their sleeping faces for a while, and you don't dare move because Papyrus and Blue are using your legs as a pillow.

It's then that you notice. Something is not quite right.  
A feeling of dread creeps up over your shoulders,  and then it dawns.

"Period!" You shriek-whisper, covering your mouth quickly.  
This is like...the worst possible thing right now: you're stuck on someone else's nice leather sofa, squashed inescapably between a couple of six foot monsters and currently bleeding; probably through your jeans.  
Who knows how long ago it started, and it shocks you that at the moment there's no pain. 

"Jesus christ." Moaning, you cross your fingers and bite your lip as you slowly attempt to move.  
If you can just get to the bathroom you can put some protection in...you're sure there's at least pads in your bag.  
Oh god, what if there's a puddle on the couch?! Do skeletons even know what a period is?!! Most human men don't, let alone monsters. They'll freak! The boys are gonna be so mad if you've bled all over the furniture.

Red stirrs in his sleep and you freeze, taking a moment to stare at his huge teeth, slightly visible under his slightly parted lips.  
(You're just going to call them 'lips', because what else can you compare them to?) 

He's settled, and you carry on easing yourself out of the bonewitch...  
Ooh. Better not call it that in future.

At last, you practically pop free and stand up, carefully shifting the boys by your feet off so that you can escape and run to your bag. A fleeting glance at the sofa gives you a wash of relief because there's no blood there, and you take the whole bag upstairs to the bathroom and lock the door.

The 'damage' isn't too bad, but as you feared, there's an almighty red splurge on the seat of your pants. Even through the black dye it's obvious you've 'sprung a leak'.

"Damn." You mutter, realising that it's not even worth trying to soak up or wash. You'll just have to tell someone you have to leave early...Someone who'll understand.

This person doesn't take much to wake up, almost as if he was actually awake the whole time. Even so, you trust him to explain what happened well enough to the others.

As you stand on the doorstep, ready to go, he leans down and gives you a farewell hug, and you laugh slightly before tapping his arm to tell him to stop.

"This was fun." You admit to him, shivering at the bite of chill you recieve after being in his warm embrace. "I'll come round again sometime...and I'll invite you guys round too."

"sounds good, honey. want me to walk you home?"

It's nice if him to offer, but you don't need any more skeletons knowing where you live. 

"No thanks." You smile tiredly, "I'll make it. Good luck with your brothers." 

He opens his mouth to object but says nothing, because you're leaving.

"yeah. see ya!"

***

"WHAT?!" Red kicks the back of the couch and his shoulders raise like hackles. "SHE SAID BYE TA YOU AND NO ONE ELSE?!"  
Blue shushes him.

Stretch gazes smugly at his outraged housemates from the bookshelf, coffee cup in hand. The coffee is almost orange with the sheer honey concentration.  
He sips it casually. 

"yup."

Red growls and almost thumps the same sofa with his fist before deciding better of it and slapping his forehead.  
"s'aint fair." He grumbles.

"I WANTED TO SAY GOODBYE TO Y/N." Blue says sadly, poking his toes into the carpet.

"ME TOO." Papyrus seconds that opinion, and the two resemble melting icicles. Sans sips his coffee and leaves it hovering by his chest, slipping his hands into his pockets and shrugging. 

"we'll see her again. i invited her over again last night." he says.

Papyrus brightens up at that. 

"GOOD! I SHALL TIDY THE HOUSE!"

Blue stumbles behind him to do the same, and Russ chuckles, folding his hands behind his head on the sofa.  
His rusty eyelights flicker to Sans' white ones, then directly into Stretch's. Red glares at every remaining skeleton in the room, flips them off and storms outside. Edge licks his upper teeth irritatedly, joining the challenging stares, and the tension is so thick, you could cut it with a knife.

***

After your embarrassing confession to Stretch this morning about your period and having to leave, you spend the rest of the day at home eating cereal and regretting so much. 

First of all, you'd totally neglected Sans; poor guy. He's the one you met first, after all. Plus, he was the one who invited you over in the first place.  
Secondly, how many people did you dance with? And for how long?! Surely that's the reason your feet feel like they've been stung by a thousand bees.  
Thirdly...oh god.  
Red.  
What did you even do?! You remember letting him feed you...how awkward. Oh and obviously not forgetting the fact that you grinded on him.  
Willingly.

"What the hell, me?!" you curse, burying your face in your hands.  
At least you have the weekend before work starts again. You don't want to waltz in after using up your ten sick days not actually being sick, completely hungover and miserable. 

The rest of the day is kind of lonely. It's amazing how boring everything seems now that Sans and his family have shown you a good time. You're not sure if you've had so much fun ever.  
It's just a shame you didn't get to say goodbye to them all. Maybe you'll send them a text.

And by the looks of things, they've already messaged you. Your number has officially worked it's way around the skeleton household now. You laugh, because everything that's happened in the last week is completely mental.

Blue has sent you ten messages, Papyrus has sent nine but is still typing, and Sans has sent you a lazy 'hi'.  
Russ has sent a sweet message, claiming he's 'just checkin up on ya', and Red has said pretty much the same thing...just more angry sounding. 

-Hey Blue! Sorry I left. I miss you already!

-Oops! Sorry Papy, I'll see you again though. I miss you! 

-Hi, Sans. Hope I didn't leave the house in too much of a mess.

-Russ! I'm good thanks. Got in a bit of knot there, hah.

You pause over Red's contact, and decide not to reply and just ignore him. Maybe he'll go away if you pretend not to be there. He was actually pretty nice, you remember. Unfortunately whenever you and he are together, you end up doing things like slut drops and overdrinking it seems.

Blue and Papyrus respond immediately, and it's hilarious watching them hurriedly type back as soon as you send them a new text. Sans comes on later, and he apologises for his family and also mentions you coming around again. He suggests a shopping trip, which he later admits was because he thought girls like shopping.  
It's sort of cute how none of the skeletons really know what to do with a human, and you suppose it's fair because you have no idea what to do with a skeleton. 

-i'm thinkin' before christmas for definate. whats your schedge like?

-You mean work? I go back monday.  
-I work weekdays.

-gotcha. weekend it is. i gotta go cus the kitchen is brning. paps is practicing.

You snigger. You can never tell if he's joking when he says that. 

-see ya comic.

Sans' contact name is changed to 'Comic' after that, because you like that nickname for him. Especially with the whole jokes thing and the name.  
His parents must have been super dedicated to typography...and must have really hated their kids.  
Comic Sans and Papyrus are really shitty fonts, you're not gonna lie. There was a point where if you used either of those, plus Jokerman or wingdings in an assignment, you'd actually get fired from the press.

-that's good, darlin  
-o, ma bro asked me to ask you what you thought about him. 

Russ takes you by surprise, but not as much as the fact that his brother...you think that was Black...actually had been thinking about you. He never actually spoke to you the whole time you were there. In fact, the most he did was glare at you. He looked too moody to approach so you'd decided to leave him alone.  
How weird that he'd asked Russ to ask your opinion of him rather than doing it himself too.

You find yourself blushing. Maybe he has a crush on you? Nah...that couldn't be it. Skeletons couldn't love a human, surely they'd like someone of their own species instead. That's how nature is supposed to work.  
Clearly Black is like Papyrus and possibly Edge: obsessed with himself. Although, Papyrus is cute...Black is a bit more...moody emo teen.

-don't ask. he demanded i asked ya

You can imagine Russ and his sly grin. You liked that smile. It was the one he was pulling when you first saw him.

-Well...he didn't talk to me so I don't really know.  
-I'm sure your brother is okay? I guess?

-hahahah. he's the coolest.

Wow. Deja vu much? Sans says that about Papyrus all the time. 

-Next time I come around I'll get to know him better. Doesn't he have my number? 

Russ says nothing for about five minutes, and you think he's gone, but then you recieve another message from someone else. 

-HUMAN! WE HAVE NEVER SPOKEN, BUT I DEMAND TO TALK TO YOU NOW.

Oh god. Another all caps maniac. This is Black. No doubt about it. He sounds like Edge did: kinda demanding and like he's ordering you around.

-Hi, is this Black?

-IT IS! HOW COULD YOU TELL?

You laugh. He has a slight air of innocence about him. 

-Dunno  
-What did you want to talk about? 

-UH.  
-RUSS TOLD ME TO APOLOGISE.

Russ did? That's odd. 

-WELL...HE RECOMMENDED THAT I APOLOGISED FOR NOT TALKING TO YOU YESTERDAY, AND I REALISED I HAVEN'T MADE A GOOD IMPRESSION. 

You can imagine Russ being the sort of brother to take the back seat, but 'reccommend' people to do things in a way that makes them do it without it looking like his idea. He appears to be intelligent enough to do that, anyway. 

-That's okay. I don't need an apology, maybe next time we meet we'll have a chat.

-OH. CAN YOU NOT SPEAK FOR ME NOW?

Speak 'for' him? Who does he think he is? A king?  
Weird.  
Now you have a choice. You could say no, and take the evening skeleton free, or say yes and end up being tired for sunday.  
You take choice three: say no and then spend the evening texting Sans in order to be a hypocrite. 

-man, i know it sounds stupid, kid, but ya really popular in my house now.  
-and i'm not surprised. i took a shine to ya from the start so why not every skeleton in town, heh. must be crazy for you right? 

Your face is so red, and so hot that you have to scrub your cheeks with your cold palms to calm down. Sans is so sweet.

-Yeah! So many new friends. It's kinda overwhelming. 

-want me ta tell them to lay off? ;)

-No, Sans.  
You chuckle.  
-I love your family, they're super fun.

-all of 'em?

-I suppose, yeah! Haven't properly met all of them yet though. 

-Oh man. kid, listen ta me. next weekend we're going out to lunch as a fam. it'll be great and you can meet the rest of my colony then.

-Sounds like a plan.

You leave it at that, because you're ridiculously tired. Sans won't mind if you doze off without warning him, he does it to you all the time. 

As soon as your head hits the pillow you're asleep, and when you wake up there's a message on your phone. It's from Papyrus.

-CHANGE OF PLAN! COME SEE US TODAY, (Y/N)! MEET US AT THE PLAZA SQUARE BEFORE 12PM!

What?! This was too soon. It was eleven now and you weren't even dressed. It could take ages to get to the square too, because traffic is a nightmare around the centre of town, not to mention the load of people out and about anyway on the streets. You'd be going in on foot, and that would take ages on it's own.

You swear, and grab the nearest warm outfit you can: striped top, fluffy pale turtleneck and black jeans. You'd have liked to have looked nice for the boys but the invite is such short notice you haven't got the time to plan. 

You grab your keys and leave the apartment, checking your phone for any more random updates, because if there's anything you hate, its being a letdown.

There's just so much to think about and you have this horrible feeling you've forgotten a purse, but hey, it's a little exciting that they wanted to see you again so fast. You should just relax and go along with it. Randomness seems to be a big monster thing.

The awkwardness might be a little on the high with Red today though, and to be honest, you're hoping this isn't a prank. 

***

You hurry into the square, out of breath and a little sweaty; red-faced and blue fingered, like a kid late for class. You feel totally unprepared, but as your eyes settle on the sight of the five guys all dressed up and chatting and shrieking away at each other, you immediately feel at home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! If you like this and want more please leave kudos and comment, it really helps! Thank you for a hundred kudos too, I love you guys!
> 
> Next time, out in the town with the skeleboys and a bunch of shenanigans, including an all-you-can-eat buffet.


	6. Grillby's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The short notice invitation unfolds, and family trouble may be bubbling on the horizon. But for now, a little surprise from Black just throws the day into a weird place.

You arrived at the square late.  
You knew you were late, and quite horribly so.   
The thing was, was that you got distracted along the way. 

It was so weird, but out of the blue your mother sent you a message.   
After about four months, her contact finally had a little red '1' next to it.   
She'd said that she was coming down to Ebbot to look at real estate, on the account that she and your father had fallen out...  
Big time. 

It's never been a big secret that your mom and dad are prone to just randomly having fights over absolutely nothing. You used to tell your friends at school, before you grew old enough to realise that these kids were probably telling their parents everything you told them, and that could have been one of the reasons why you were never invited to other people's parties or sleepovers during your younger years in school. 

Nowadays you feel guilty for giving your parents a bad name, but you suppose they weren't aware of anything so it doesn't really matter. 

However, the fact that your mom is actually coming to Ebbot, which is quite a way from where she lives, could mean something serious has happened, and to be honest it really freaked you out.   
She'd said something along the lines of 'oppression'...which sounds awfully serious.  
But you can't just go making drastic assumptions like this! Of course, whatever your mom is pissed about it isn't that dad has tracked muddy footprints over her clean floor again, it's definitely something big.  
You have to stop and calm down for a minute or two, because you couldn't help making wild assumptions that made your heart stop and your breath hitch in your throat.   
You laugh at yourself, because you've gotten scared about something that doesn't even exist. 

"It's just silly old mom." you sigh, clutching your chest. "Stop panicking."

The wind blows, and you say goodbye to a surprisingly neat hairstyle for today and hello to frizz, and immediately reality dawns that you're meant to be somewhere, but it seems as though your mom really needs you right now.  
You send her your reaction but simplified, asking about how serious this is and is she okay...  
She doesn't reply and you take a deep breath, letting a group of boys past by pressing your back to the wall. None of them even give you a second glance and you frown. You're not that unattractive are you?

'Come on," you mumble to yourself, "You've got places to be."

So you carried on walking, deciding not to worry about the boys who ignored you, and trying to cheer up over your mom. It'll all blow over in a couple of days. That's what will happen for sure.   
And the boys? You know eight who'd gladly give you a second look...or at least say they would. 

***

"she ain't comin', blue. for the last goddamn time: she doesn't wanna see us."  
Red grumbles and buries his lower face in the fur of his black bomber jacket, making the zips jangle.  
Blue looks upset and directs his big pleading eyes to seek comfort in his older brother, who looks as if he agrees with Red slightly. Poor Blue is stricken, but Stretch lays a hand on his shoulder, making the grey puffer coat deflate slightly. 

"SHE PROMISED ME SHE'D COME!" Papyrus thumps his chest with confidence. "I, FOR ONE, BELIEVE IN (Y/N)!"

"chalk another one up for that, paps." Sans' lazy grin is relaxed, finding humour in how unnerved his housemates are. Their behaviour is so obvious it's hard to believe they're mostly versions of himself. "(y/n) is probably panicking, knowing she's late, wishing we hadn't invited her out with such short notice."

Edge scoffs.  
"YOU CAN PRETEND TO BE THE OPTIMIST ALL YOU LIKE, SANS, BUT YOU'RE JUST AS AWARE AS THE REST OF US THAT SHE HAS NO INTEREST IN COMING."

Red, at that point, had been looking a little reassured by Sans' words, but naturally Edge brought his mood down a few notches, and he says gruffly:  
"guh, you know what? my stomach is killing me, i'm gonna go buy drinks." He looks up at Edge, who is smugly enjoying Sans' distaste with him. The latter rolls his eyes and tucks his hands in his pockets.

"you comin' boss?" Red asks.

"GLADLY, BROTHER."

Russ raises a hand and says nothing.

"you too, russ?" Sans watches the taller shrug and then the trio of doubters wander off towards the store up the highstreet.

What surprises him is that Black actually stays, huddled with his face hidden in his maroon scarf and kicking the dirt absently. The purple-eyed monster looks bashfully up at Sans, and he huffs.

"I...WANT TO MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION. IF SHE ARRIVES."

Sans raises his brows.   
"fair enough." 

The remaining five hang around a little longer, and Blue eventually points someone out.

***

You feel a sense of comfort whilst running into the square. The familiar shapes and faces of your new friends fills your chest with excitement and relief.  
You're surprised to see only five: just Sans, Papyrus, Blue, Stretch and Black. All of them look cold and kind of miserable.  
Blue sticks his hand up and waves frantically.

"(Y/N)! (Y/N)!" He yells your name over and over, and runs up to you, jumping the last meter to clamp his arms around your shoulders and squeeze the living daylights out of you. 

You scream, and start laughing from the shock. Blue sure can hug tightly.

"Blue!" You grin, and hug him back. He's like an excited puppy, bouncing up and down as he grips your arms and pulls away to look at you, beaming his best grin.

"I KNEW YOU'D COME, (Y/N)!" He pants, "I KNEW IT!"

Your heart almost melts looking at the exasperated skeleton before you. He looks really cute, with his sorta chubby blue blushing cheeks and wide eyes. He must have been waiting for ages because his fingers are cold when he holds your hand and drags you over to the group.

You bashfully say 'hi' to everyone, and Sans explains that the rest thought you weren't coming and went to get drinks. 

"Aw guys I'm so sorry. I was panicking so much because you'd invited me with such short notice..."

Sans smirks and Stretch gives him a look.

"What?" You ask, wondering if you'd said something funny.

"Nothing, honey." Stretch scratches his jaw, grinning. "Sans predicted exactly what you just said."

"He did?" You feel your cheeks burning up. Sans avoids your eye contact, still smiling. "O-okay. S-so where are we gonna go?" 

Papyrus chirps up, raising a finger.  
"I SUGGESTED A FANCY PASTA RESTAURANT!" His eyes twinkle, which looks almost impossible because you swear they're just black slots in his skull. "YOU'LL TASTE TRUE ARTISANAL WORK, (Y/N)!"

Blue pouts and grips your arm harder and you wince. 

"WHAT ABOUT A MEXICAN RESTAURANT?"

Black uncovers his face. 

"YEAH! WE HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE THAT SELLS BETTER CUISINE THAN PASTA." He sneers the last word, making Papyrus feel challenged and disheartened.   
You take pity on him, and you're about to say you want to go wherever Papyrus wants to, when the rest of the boys come back, and Red looks mighty surprised, almost dropping the bottles in his arms, most of which are mustard bottles...which is a little weird because you thought they were buying drinks. Similar with Russ, who's bought a load of BBQ sauce. 

"...(y/n)?" Red breaks out into a grin. "god, (y/n), i...i didn't think you were coming." 

"thank stars." Russ smirks, a cigarette between his teeth. "we were worried."

"WELL, IF SHE'S HERE, WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO A PASTA RESTAURANT!" 

Papyrus perks up with the mention of Edge's idea, and Black and Blue scowl.

"why don't we go mexican?"  
Russ and Stretch say at the same time. 

Everyone looks at Sans and Red, who both shrug simultaneously. Red barks,

"none o' ya are makin' me eat any more pasta or mexican food! i'd rather drink ketchup!"

Sans looks offended.   
"ey, easy red. we could try something totally different like just an average diner..."

"PREPOSTEROUS!" Edge yells, scaring the people that had been quietly avoiding the group and tip toe-ing around at a minimum distance of ten meters. "I WILL NEVER SINK SO LOW!"

"well jeez, it was just a suggestion."

"I'M ONLY GOING TO EAT PASTA, SO SCREW YOU ALL!"

"don't take that tone with my bro, Edge."

"or mine."

"fuck almighty can we just DECIDE? instead'a arguing like a bunch o' morons?!"

"Um...guys?"  
You barely say the words, but they all fall silent and freeze to look at you, some expressing themselves with drastic animations so they're stuck in odd positions.  
"We could just go to an all-you-can-eat...they have loads of different kinda of food there."

There's a silence, and the wind makes you shiver...and possibly the nerves.

"well there's a fuckin' fine idea!" Red laughs and untucks his chin from his jacket. "ya can tell none-a us got a brain, hah."

"you're brilliant, (y/n). slick decision." Sans looks relieved, in fact, everyone does. Papyrus, Blue and Edge all seem to be slightly uncomfortable with the idea, but follow Sans' lead in their brotherly pairs. You linger near the back, and talk to Black. 

"S-so..." You don't make eye contact with him, but he turns his head to look at you. "You said...l-last night that you wanted to talk to me."

"YEAH." Black clears his throat. "I UH...FELT GUILTY THAT I...UH...THAT I DIDN'T GET TO TALK TO YOU." He smooths a hand over the top of his skull. "LAST NIGHT...MY FAMILY KIND OF TOOK CONTROL."

"Were you scared?" You ask, interrupting him which seems to come as a huge surprise to him. His eyesockets become bigger circles and he blinks, although maybe not as infurated as much as in awe. He replies.

"ME? I DON'T GET SCARED. I WAS...ADVISED TO KEEP MY DISTANCE." 

"Russ?" 

Black stammers his response, blushing a kind of reddish purple.

"N-NO! MY BROTHER IS NOT THE BOSS OF ME LIKE EDGE IS TO RED. EDGE TOLD ME TO STAY AWAY FROM YOU."

You raise your eyebrows.   
"He did?" 

"WELL..." Black dips his head as though he shares the opinion. "UNDERGROUND, HUMANS TENDED TO BE A DANGER." His hands seek comfort in his pockets. "I USED TO WORK FOR THE GUARD."

"You did? No way..."

He smiles, liking how impressed you are, but then he frowns. It was weird seeing him smile, and like Red his teeth are sharp.   
"EDGE DID TOO. HE TOLD ME YOU COULD HURT US AND TO KEEP MY DISTANCE...STUPID, I KNOW."

You think on that for a moment. Monsters were really that afraid of humans? Maybe that's a thing to write about in your next article.

"Edge didn't stay away from me." you say, maybe helping Black to become less nervous if he knew that the person who warned him decided you were safe.  
But apparently that was the wrong thing to say, because like a storm cloud descending over him, Black scowls suddenly and bares his teeth in a miserable smirk. His pupils disappear entirely, like Sans' had done at the party. You'll never cease to find that terrifying. It's almost like watching them die or something horrible like that. If one wasn't aware of what these monsters were, the lights in their eyes would be the only thing that distinguished them as living things.

"HE DIDN'T?" Black growls, glaring with his empty eyes at the floor.

"He danced with me and stuff. Are you sure it was him who told you to be careful?" You wring your hands, heartbeat accelerating in your chest.

"PRETTY DAMN SURE." Black sighs heavily and kicks a stone. Like this, he looks like a cat that's been stroked the wrong way, practically hissing and all puffed up so that he looks twice as powerful.

"Hey." You link your arm through his. The first contact makes him stiffen up. "I'm not scary like the humans you protected your people from. I'm sure Edge knows that now and he didn't mean to upset you so much...right?"

Black's lovely berry coloured eyelights fade back into view, and he directs them down at your face. 

"I'D LIKE TO THINK THE SAME." He looks severe. "BUT I KNOW NOW THAT THIS WASN'T JUST A MISTAKE."

You're not surprised he's skeptical. He seems like the 'glass half empty' type.

"Then what was it?"

"WAR."

No matter how many times you probed him for information, Black will not explain what he said.  
'War' doesn't make much sense to you. Maybe because he worked in the equivalent of the military, he uses the term differently, however after what must be the fiftieth attempt at asking, you let him alone and shuffle to the centre of the queue, where Red and Russ are. You're shivering a lot more now, and Sans makes everyone wait outside the restaurant for ages whilst he books a table big enough for all nine of the party, so you get even colder. Your nails are blue and you're teeth are chattering. The sky is a drab greyish colour, and Russ suggests snow.

"ya look cold, sweetheart." Red shrugs off his jacket and pulls it around your shoulders. Underneath he's just wearing a grey tank top, and he looks freezing but he refuses to take his coat back and helps you put it on.  
God it's warm. 

"Son of a radiator..." You giggle, snuggling into the fleece interior and examining how big it is on you, and how heavy. There are several weird badges sewn onto the lapel, and when you zip it up your whole body seems to take a deep sigh as it bathes in heat.

Red laughs. "glad ya feel better."

The restaurant Sans chose is the only monster run all-you-can-eat. 

"grillby's." Sans holds his arms out. "i know the boss himself, never met his daughter though. apparently she helped him expand his business from the Underground. he had the best bar, but this is just as good."

Sans beckons to you, and you beam, running up to have your hand grabbed and then the rest of you taken to the long leather seated table reserved for the party.

Everyone fights over where they're sitting. You happily plant yourself next to Sans, and then Red dives in opposite you. He looks very pleased with himself, but then Edge storms over, trying to shove his brother off.  
Red, actually throws Edge over his shoulders in one swift manoeuvre, and grins the whole time, only wincing slightly when the seven foot monster hits the tiles and starts cursing.

Papyrus slips next to you on your right side, and Blue opposite him. Stretch follows suit, and Russ beside Papyrus.   
Black looks so disgusted to have to sit beside Red, but he takes a glance at you, and the raspberry shade of his blush surfaces. He's pretty shy for a commanding character. 

The waiter, which appears to be made of clearish green jello, brushes his goopy fringe out of his eyes.

"Have you guys been here before?" He asks, not taking his eyes off you. It's sort of freaking you out.

"yup. we're cool, bud. we'll give ya a bell if we need ya." Sans tries to usher the waiter away quickly so that he doesn't then notice the following event of Edge hauling himself off the floor and miserably asserting himself at the end of the table.

"WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS, EYEING UP OUR HUMAN?" Black snarls, retying his shoe with his foot of the lip of the table.

'our' human? Normally that sentence would be objectifying, but for some reason you like the idea of being the 'property' of all these skeletons.  
You lean over close to Sans and whisper:

"I feel so safe right now."

His face tints blue for a second.

"why?"

"'Cus you guys are so protective, it's lovely."

Sans laughs sheepishly and agrees quietly. You wonder why he was so nervous about recieving that. 

The skeletons go up to fill their played two at a time, and when it's your turn to get up you're feeling quite paranoid.  
Eating in front of new people is always nerve destroying. What if they think you're disgusting or something? Or what if you make a mess or ruin their food?

The rest of the restaurant takes the same moody scheme of dark brown and reddish tones. The great silver isles of dishes intimidate you, and all the boys seem to know what to do and it doesn't help. You feel like a right idiot trying to look like you know what you're doing.   
Some people stare at the skeletons, monsters stare at you.   
There are couples, families, parties and loners all spread about in the seating booths, and you can feel their eyes on your back. 

You return to your seat, flush-faced and jittering slightly. Red's coat helps though, it makes you feel badass.  
He seems to think you look pretty neat in it too, because he kept eyeing you up through the gaps between the ceiling fans and trays of dishes in the food hall. 

You have to squeeze past everyone to get back next to Sans and Papyrus, and funnily enough the latter has spaghetti. 

"you ever done this before, darlin'?" Russ picks up a spring roll from his plate like it's a cigarette, and smirks slightly. 

"M-me? No...I mean, once but it was a long time ago. Oh god, is it really that obvious?" You embarrassedly bow your head and blush faintly. 

"ignore russ, honey. doesn't matter if you haven't done this before or not-"

Edge cuts Stretch off, leaving the latter looking pissed off.

"JUST BEWARE MY BROTHER." He growls, prodding his food. Edge doesn't seem to be very interested in eating, but he has a point with the 'beware' Red thing...

It's only just caught your attention, but Red has finally joined the table, and in front of him is the most ridiculously overloaded plate you've ever seen.  
It's sort of hard not to gape but Red appears to be very proud of himself, so perhaps by gawking you're feeding his ego rather than demolishing it.

...excuse the pun.

"aw shut up, boss. i don' eat that much. you're just a beanpole who doesn't know what's good for 'im."

Edge looks outraged.  
"INSOLENCE! I'D GLADLY SELECT ANOTHER BROTHER OVER YOU RIGHT NOW."

You snigger and drop the piece of sushi you'd balanced on your fork. 

"I'LL BE YOUR NEW BROTHER, EDGY!"  
Blue ever so sweetly offers, and continues to munch through his plate of cookies and various candy.   
Black, on the other hand, decides to laugh. 

"NICE NICKNAME, EDGELORD. MAKES YOU SOUND LIKE A HIGHSCHOOL DROPOUT. WANT ME TO CHECK YOUR EYELINER?"

"FUCK OFF, BLACK. THAT'S RICH COMING FROM THE HOUSEHOLD EVANESCENSE MEMBER."

Sans sighs and shrugs his jacket off, and then pulls his sweater over his head.

"Is the argument a little too *heated* for you, Sans?" You ask, smiling wide. 

Sans laughs at that, and you notice how tired he looks. He has purplish haze under his eye sockets and his smile was weak before you made the joke. 

"that was a good one, kiddo. i've taught you well." He takes a sip from his glass, which reminds you that you forgot to get one. All the soy sauce is starting to make you thirsty too.

"Damn...I didn't get a drink. Do you think anyone would mind if I-"

"(Y/N)! I CANNOT BELIEVE I LET YOU SUFFER THIRST ALL THIS TIME!"

Oh brother...Papyrus must've heard that. You wince and try to tell him it's really okay, and that you don't need one.

"OF COURSE YOU NEED ONE! I'LL GO GET YOU WHATEVER YOU WANT, JUST ASK."

Your heart flutters. He's so kind and innocent, that you couldn't ever bear to just let him do things for you. He's like a chivalrous knight, waiting on his lady.  
Oh god, his 'lady' being yourself...how ridiculous. That is an image you'd best keep to yourself. 

"Oh...Papy... I can go, you really don't have to get up." You start to rise from your seat but so does he,and he rises much further up. You sit down from the shock, and he makes a pleased noise. 

"ANYTHING FOR YOU, (Y/N)." Papyrus pushes his way up the table, making the others groan, and marches off.  
You feel bad, but wonder what he'll bring back because you didn't mention what you wanted.  
To be honest, you don't really know what you want. Anything would be good.

"WHAT DO YOU YOU DO FOR A LIVING, HUMAN?" Edge has his hand around Black's face, trying to shut him up. It's quite an unorthadox way to ask someone what job they have, but it's funny nontheless.

"Ahah...I write for the Open City paper...I wrote about the monster population recently...uh..."

"YOU DID?" Black says, voice muffled underneath the bony hand Edge has still shoved against his face. 

"WHAT DID YOU SAY? YOU'RE NOT ONE OF THOSE...GUH WHAT DO THEY CALL THEMSELVES?"

"irritants?" Russ chuckles, and Red snorts at that.

"I BELIEVE IT'S ACTIVISTS. THEY CALL THEMSELVES SAVIORS."

"'saviors of tha monster race' an all that." Red waves his hand as if he couldn't care less about the people in question, and you think that these boys would be being very rude if you happened to be one of these activists.

"I happen to be a 'Saviour', thank you very much. You should all be very thankful for people like me." You state, grinning smugly at all of them...all of which either spit out their drinks or stare at you like you're an alien.

"Haaaa, I got you guys good. I have no idea what a Saviour is, and I'm certainly not one of them. I just wrote about um..." You blush and lower your head.

They all look relieved, and Stretch and Sans laugh.

"WHAT DID YOU WRITE ABOUT, (Y/N)?" Blue shovels more marshmallow-chocolate sweetness into his mouth, oblivious to how much actually misses and falls back onto the plate. He makes you want to cringe and giggle at the same time. He's too cute to be disgusting.

"I wrote about when I first met Sans...I hadn't met any of you guys when I wrote it...and um..."

"heheh, oh jeez, kid. i'm flattered ya wrote about me. i'm real curious now. you'll hafta let us read it sometime." You can't look at Sans, because you distinctly remember writing a lot of very...passionate things about him and your first meeting. If he read it, he'd get to wrong idea. All of them would and that'd be awkward. You can imagine the smirks on their faces...kind of like the ones they're wearing now, actually.

"earth to (y/n)." Russ snaps his fingers as though trying to get you out of a trance. "y'alright, darlin'?"

"you kinda spaced out there." Stretch sniggers and you feel like an idiot. You must be blushing so hard.

"Ah! Sorry I was just thinking."   
You smile apologetically, and then Papyrus saves you by returning and distracting the boys by squeezing past them again.

"(Y/N)! YOU DIDN'T SAY WHAT YOU WANTED SO I GOT YOU EVERYTHING!" Papyrus unloads his arms and adds seven glasses of various drinks to the table. You laugh and cup your face. It's so sweet of him to get everything. It's such a 'him' thing to do. 

"Papy, you're too cute. This is too much, thank you!" You give him a hug once he sits down.

"I'M C-CUTE?" He stutters, adding a nervous giggle.

"Yeah! Now the only problem is choosing which drink to have." 

You keep your arm around him as you continue the afternoon in the restaurant. He seems overly flustered about being so close to you, and you suppose it's a monster thing.  
If Black had been so afraid that he avoided you all halloween, poor Papyrus must be a little scared too.

The day is great, and plenty of hijinks occur, for example the classic 'chopstick walrus' gag, which turns from just one walrus to half a table of embarrassing yelping noises and clapping.  
You, Papyrus and Blue hide under the table, giggling and partially wishing you weren't there, whilst Edge and Black share folded arms and a disgusted expression. 

Later on, the antics just get more rowdy and more ridiculous, especially when Red orders a couple of glasses of wine and gets Blue hyper drunk, and you're beginning to feel stressed.

And then someone taps the edge of your glass and gathers your attention. You look up and see Black, and oddly he's smiling. It's a stressed smile though, which you can understand.

"Hey," He says softly. "I want to show you something."

"Oh?" It'd be great to leave the table for a second or two, and why not? Black has shown himself to be not as scary as he seems, so you take his fingerless gloved hand, and let him lead you outside.

"Oh my gosh!" All around, gentle white flakes drift down from above and the sidewalk, the road and the storefronts are speckled with white like icing sugar. "It's snowing...so beautiful." 

"YEAH...HEHEH..." Black isn't looking at the snow. You make eye contact with him, and suddenly everything becomes very intense. His eye lights are a delicious pink colour, glowing brightly as he gazes at you. His eyes really are the most wonderful colour, and before you know it they've lured you about an inch from his face. 

"I really amire you, (y/n)." He says, his breath hot against your face. "You're beautiful and brave and...You've impressed me."   
Cold, smooth digits tentatively touch your cheek, and you quietly mutter his name.

"Black..."

Eyes closed, you can only sense him come closer and hear the way his jeans brush together and his coat rasps as he moves to be even nearer. You can hear his breathing, and how nervous he is...

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DID THAT, RED! HOW COULD YOU?" 

You startle and shrink away from Black, who stumbles and yelps.

"Hey guys! It's snowing!" You cover up what almost just happened with the snow as quickly as possible.  
The rest of the skeletons tumble out of the door like a river bursting it's banks.  
Stretch wanders up to Black and thumps him on the back, lighting a cigarette. They're talking but you can't hear what they're saying, and in a few seconds the most boisterous of the bunch have whisked you off again. 

Onward to the next thing, you guess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!   
> Don't forget to comment and leave kudos because it really helps! 
> 
> Next time, confusion and disappointment. Let's just say Christmas might not go as planned.  
> What a world.


	7. Pranks and Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lot happens in this chapter. You start off on a downhill slope, that becomes a deadly drop to rock bottom. Emotions are everywhere and new jealousy is arising.  
> Not to mention the complications with Christmas and the brother who succeeds where the other failed.

-Thanks for the day out, Papyrus. I had fun!

Oh boy. Today had been tiresome, stressful, hilarious and above all romantic in the end. You knew there was something up with Black, and that near kiss was a near miss in your opinion.  
Imagine the complications! Not that you don't want to kiss him...or any of them for that matter, but you're sure there would be a few social issues with a human/monster relationship. Maybe it could be something to write about.

-DON'T MENTION IT, MY FRIEND! WILL YOU BE AROUND FOR GYFTMAS?

-You mean Christmas? Maybe. I hope so!

-I HOPE SO TOO! YOU ARE BY FAR MY FAVOURITE HUMAN!  
-BESIDES FRISK, OF COURSE.

Frisk? The monster ambassador?   
For some reason, you're hit with a vicious pang of jealousy.   
'Frisk' came out of the Underground with the monsters as a young girl, about the same age as you were at the time, but now she's a beautiful young woman. She has the best career, the prettiest face and is always the talk of the town in her smallest of affairs.  
She drifts about in gorgeous dresses and as if she has no purpose in the world, other than to exceed everyone else...and yet she's so loved.  
Stupid, clever, pretty, lovely Frisk! God's punishment is not the fire of hell or the plague of ages, but rather this girl, crafted in the heavens to ruin the lives of the women of Ebott. You hate having to report on her and her marvelous life, particularly because you're expected to love her but all you feel is envy.

It's not fair.

And now Papyrus admits to liking her more than you? Ugh. How depressing.  
You're enraged, but not at Papyrus. You're angry at yourself for being so petty. You don't reply to Papyrus again tonight, or anyone for that matter. Not even poor Black, who is desperately messaging you apologies and excuses; trying to save his fatal mistake.  
But you don't care, because no one could ever love you as much as they love people like Frisk, or in Edge's case: themselves.  
The cramps don't help either. Your period is really eating away at you this evening, and so you swallow a couple of painkillers and bed down for the night.

***

The cinema screen is blindingly bright. You can barely see the movie as it plays, and the sound is clear and loud...and yet it makes no sense. The world is a blurr of white noise and shapeless colour, except one thing.

"Sans..." You shake his arm, and find he's wearing the outfit you first met him in. He does look good in that shirt...  
Regardless, he turns to you and grins.

"what's up, kiddo?"

You impulsively grab ahold of his arm, and squeeze it. It feels as though you might be falling, but it's hard to tell. Honestly, you're sure it's a cinema, but everything doesn't seem to be quite right. 

"I have a headache...can you fix it for me?" It's true, you do have the most ear-splitting headache right now, and holding onto Comic seems to be sort of helping.

"maybe. do ya need a hug, baby?" Sans leans over and his big arms form a ring around your shoulders. Since when did he call you 'baby'? Or anything romantic for that matter. On the other hand, you're not complaining. In his smooth low voice, his soft affectionate nicknames make your heart flutter and the butterflies in your tummy scatter in a craze of emotion. It makes you notice how handsome he is.

"Where are the others?" You ask quietly, mesmerized. 

"at home. it's just us tonight, remember?"

"Oh yeah..."  
You don't remember, or maybe you do? It's so surreal at this moment that you can't be sure of anything. You can't even be sure that you are yourself.

"is everythin' okay, sweetie? ya look real strange...is your head hurtin' ya that bad?" He rubs your forehead gently, and then slowly, his smooth fingers begin to drift. First, they trace your eyebrows, and then down the bridge of your nose, taking every bump and imperfection along the way. He traces your eyes, your cheeks and your mouth.   
And then his thumb grazes over your lower lip, and he sighs with a smile before catching you by surprise with a kiss.  
You've never felt this before; the buzz, the heat and the sweetness of loving contact...and by some cruel fate he draws back. No sooner had you closed your eyes and pressed him back for more of his passion does he break it...and you're upset. Those butterflies of joy and desire still flutter by your heart, daydreaming of more before the experience has ended.

"frisk..." He says dreamily. "i love you."

***

It was the most horrible dream you ever could have endured. Really, it was. You'd cried for at least two hours before realizing that it was just that: a dream. But still, you hated how Frisk had to come in at the end, and ruin that moment with...wait with who?  
You can't recall who you kissed in your dream last night, but whoever it was has left an impression: white shirt, blue jeans, cheeky smile...soft voice...

"Practicing becoming a bauble for Christmas this year are we?"  
You start, and then cringe in silence. You're really blushing that hard?

"Morning, sir." Spinning your chair, you come to face your boss, Will Arkwright. He runs the Open City magazine and rarely turns up at work unless he needs something doing, which for some reason always involves taking the mick out of you at the same time. Are you a bullyable person? Maybe, but it's still not very gentlemanly behavior to mock one's employees. 

"Good morning indeed. How are you after all this time? I received your entry from Jodie yesterday evening and I must say I found it very entertaining." Arkwright puts his hands in his pockets, which barely even works because he's chosen to dress in skin-tight pinstripe suit pants today. He's a lean man, but there's no muscle on him really. It's like he hit puberty too late or something. He's very tall, however, and what he lacks in strength he makes up for in success. The Open City is the most popular media in Ebott currently, and for that you're kind of proud of. You work for this company, and you helped make it great just like everyone else here...  
thinking about your work like that makes you feel a little better.

"I'm much better, thank you. I found the break incredibly insightful."

"Oh really? I suppose your highlight is uh...interacting with a 'real live monster', eh?"

You're stumped. He just quoted your article, you're sure. Was that rudeness you sensed too? How dare he!? You thought your article was interesting and emotional...is he hinting that you've made a mockery of yourself? Maybe he means it in a way that what you've written is potentially offensive? You're very hurt...no...demolished. How could you feel any worse?

"Was it that bad? S-sir...if you don't mind me saying, I think you misinterpreted that line. You see, I used the term 'real live monster', to accentuate the individuality of our miraculous new populace. Hence it being followed up with 'But unlike a fairy tale, these citizens are the true Samaritans of our century.'"

It's Arkwright's turn to be taken aback.  
He clears his throat, and tries not to laugh. The asshole.

"Indeed. No, your article was fine. Perhaps you should edit it today with Jodie. Ask her to make the point clearer because...ahem...there could be a popular misconception as you so described."

"Oh. Okay." You're still wounded. Was he just being rude for the sake of it? Surely there was nothing wrong with what you wrote.

Your workplace is a new building nearabouts the centre of town. It's a plain place; greyish-blue carpet that isn't the softest thing on the planet, basic desk setup, a single water cooler per floor and plenty of cheap indoor plants. It smells like stress, and it's really unpleasant to come back to after a week and a half.

Later, you cornered Jodie waiting outside the floor runner's office. Ed, the runner, is a cute lad who eats too many wagon wheels in a day, but still manages to get away with it and be only slightly on the large side. You think Jodie has a crush on him too, because she's always lingering by his office.  
Either she likes him or she just wants a wagon wheel.

"Jo, the boss said he wanted me to look at my article again with you today. I don't think he's very happy with the message?"

"The message?" Jodie looks from you to Ed's office and sighs tiredly. "I'll just email it to you, can you manage it by yourself?"

"But you're the editor! Ed can wait, we just gotta do this thing..." You don't hate Jodie, but she's kind of like that big sister who's always too old to play games, and too young to leave home. She runs the block when Arkwright isn't around, and that's literally just like having a big sister baby sitter who just texts boys and watches the finals of some dance competition whilst you burn the house down and eat a third of your bodyweight in pizza and drink mom's Chardonnay.  
She pretty much says 'no' to anything you need her to do, unless you're Ed, or sometimes maybe the boss.

"I'll e-mail you. Gimme a sec."

You huff, and rub your forehead, heading back to your desk. For some reason you're really on edge today. Maybe it's the dream, or going back to work...it could be Christmas coming or that thing with mom yesterday or...that near kiss with Black?  
God, all the skeleton stuff seems a distant illusion now, as if you'd made it up in desperate moment of loneliness.  
You look at your phone whilst waiting for an e-mail, and your mom has tried to call you a few times. It must be important, but you can't go and chat now. Any minute you'll get the document you need and you'll have to start working, otherwise Arkwright will be buzzing about your laziness for weeks.

You're aware of the funny looks you keep receiving from your coworkers. All around, occasionally a person will bend around their computer and watch you for a moment or two, as if...checking for something. You hadn't been gone that long, and it would be unusual for them all to think you were a newbie.

-Mom, i'll call you during my lunch break. Love you x

Now to wait for Jodie. She shouldn't take much longer to send that email, but it takes forever, and you check your phone again. You read through the messages from the boys you haven't seen yet.

Berry- (Y/N), I AM SO SORRY. AGAIN, I CANNOT BE SORRY ENOUGH...  
-PLEASE ANSWER ME  
-I'M SO SORRY, PLEASE  
-DON'T BE OFFENDED, I DIDN'T MEAN ANYTHING  
-I JUST WANTED...I FELT BAD  
-(Y/N)!

A little later he's changed his tone:

-YOU WILL ANSWER ME  
-HUMAN  
-DON'T BE SELFISH AND ANSWER ME!  
-DON'T MAKE ME SUFFER IN SILENCE! IT WAS NOTHING! I DID NOTHING!

Oh lord...poor Black. You're almost scared of him now...he called you 'selfish', and now he's saying he's suffering? You're terrified. Maybe it was a mistake to ignore them all for so long. Especially because the only reason was because you were jealous...  
Papyrus' messages make you want to cry. The poor, innocent sweetheart seems to have gone into a panic.

-HAVE YOU EVER MET FRISK, (Y/N)? YOU'D LIKE HER, YOU TWO ARE SO SIMILAR.  
-(Y/N?)  
-WHERE HAVE YOU GONE?  
-DID I UPSET YOU?  
-ARE YOU OKAY?  
-I'M SORRY  
-PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME  
-(Y/N)?  
-Please don't go...

In fact, everyone has messaged you. Red apologizes for being a pig, Blue is concerned and upset because he thinks he wasn't cheerful enough for you yesterday. Edge is apologizing on everyone's behalf except himself, Stretch is asking if you're okay, and Sans is wondering what upset his brother so much...

It's only Russ that hasn't said anything.

You ditch the phone, a lead weight settling in your chest. If you can get work over with, you can help out all your friends and try to cheer them up then. There's just this article to fix and then you're free to go ahead.

The email is the first of over ninety new emails from various people and sites. You bin them all, and download Jodie's edited copy of your article.  
More coworkers are looking at you now, and some are grinning like Cheshire cats. Don't these people have better things to do?  
You're freaking out over so much right now, that you can feel a headache forming. One day back at work and the stress is unbelievable.

The document takes ages to load up, and when it does, your gasp echoes across the room.

Someone has made changes to your article.  
And not the kind of spelling error or grammar changes either...someone has written extra text, highlighted and made to look like your work within the pages. It's horrible:

'...I met one of these real live monsters myself, and he whisked me off my feet and stuck his brilliant and amazing tongue down my throat. And that's not the only brilliant and amazing thing, oh no, I let him fuck me in the restrooms and I sucked him off because he was so brilliant and amazing. All monsters are brilliant and amazing, and humans are the fucking ruination of life itself...'

It goes on and on and on and on, and it just gets worse and more offensive. It gets so bad, that you can't even read any further.

"Wh-what?"  
People are laughing. They're laughing at you.

You're red-faced and angry. No, furious! How could Jodie do this? You liked her, maybe in the same sense as a kid likes a babysitter but you had some respect for her...and now?  
It's not even funny or clever! She's just taken the piss out of your writing entirely, and made the boss believe you actually wrote all that...  
Maybe even all these spectators right here.

Maybe they've been fooled too.

Tears sting your eyes and your cheeks are on fire. You're so embarrassed and angry and flustered...you want to run away and the room becomes one writhing, laughing mass.

"SHUT UP!" You scream, and then everything goes quiet. You sniff, and wipe the tears from your eyes but it doesn't help, your vision is still clouded and warped in a watery veil. "WHAT THE HELL?" At the end of that sentence, your voice breaks, and you run crying from the office, downstairs and into the ladies room, locking the door behind you.

And there is your place for hours and hours, as you sob your heart out on the dirty floor. It was just a prank, a dumbass office prank...but it's mean. It's nasty and spiteful and gross...it's everything you're not and it makes fun of your life and your emotions.  
Jodie...or whoever changed your work, has ruined you. They've taken your hard work, and screwed it up, torn it to shreds and burn its remains.  
Why?  
Was it because you'd taken time off? Was it because they hated monsters?  
Was it because they could? Was it purely only because they had the power to do so, that they did it?

"What did I ever do to you?" You wail, collapsing against the wall and sobbing against the cold tile. "What is your fucking problem?"

You wanted to leave. You wanted to leave and never return...but you know without a job you couldn't pay the rent. Heck, you can barely afford to eat more than cereal all the time, let alone even considering walking out of work.

Someone enters the cubicle next to you, and you immediately hate them.

Whoever they are, they're garbage. You hate them for coming in and hearing you crying, you hate them for selfishly needing the restroom when others need the peace.  
Just a bit of peace...  
It's not fair.

Nothing is fair.

***

You don't remember falling asleep, but you remember waking up, and then the panic that ensued. You stumbled out of the bathroom with the most horrifically swollen eyes from all the crying, and tried your best to look normal as you returned to your seat. You closed the document on your screen, and everyone had already left so your anxiety levels were much lower. It seemed as though you'd woken up just as the day ended.   
Ignoring Ed as he returned from emptying his trash can, you picked up your phone and went outside by the paper bins to call your mom.

"Hi mom."

"Sweetie! Hun, you sound like you've been crying."

"I'm fine. What's up with you?"

There is a pause where she sighs.

"Your father and I had an argument...I left the house."

"Where are you now? This is terrible!" Your voice breaks again, and you curse yourself.

"I'm in a motel near the train station. I wanted to call so I could arrange Christmas with you."

"What?" This doesn't make sense. Why is she calling about Christmas when there are bigger things to address? Classic mom.

"I think we just need you, sweetie. If you came to our place for a while, we'd be so much happier. It was hard losing you and...well we haven't spoken in a while. We want to know what's new."

Spending Christmas...away? You'd sort of hoped to go to the skeleton house again like at Halloween. That would have been a great party for sure, and you need a way to make it up to them.  
But you know family is more important, and you lower your head.

"Sure. I'll come."

"Thank you so much, hun! I can't wait. It'll be just like how it used to be..."

"Yeah, mom."

"I'll see you then, honey! I have to go and tell your father. I love you!"

"Love you too."

She hangs up, and you take a moment to breathe and decide what to do next.  
You'd planned to call in on the boys after work, but they can't see you like this: blotchy and tear soaked. Your eyes are still puffy and you feel like crying again. At least the cold air is soothing for your headache, so you can think a little clearer.

You think about sending messages, but what would you say? Maybe calling them is more personal...but then that has the same problem. Meeting all of them face to face would really be a stress factory...so what can you do?

The next fifteen minutes or so you spend on the floor, flicking up and down the very short contact list on your mobile and cradling your head in your other hand.  
And then you stop, because you're struck by an idea.

"I'll talk to Russ." You announce to yourself, and send him a message.  
He replies immediately.

-darlin', what's up?

-I've had a really shit day at work.  
-I'm sorry...I just need someone to talk to.

-are ya okay? where are ya?

-Outside my work. Look, tell yoir brother I'm sorry.

-hang on, darlin', I'll be right there.

-Wait! Russ, no! It's fine, really.

But he doesn't reply, and you take that as his way of saying 'I'm still coming no matter what you say.'

You have to stay in the alley now, waiting for Russ.  
It's sort of nice to know someone is coming for you. It makes you smile a little bit to think about.

You stare into the ground until the low rumble of a car catches your attention. It parks right outside the alley, and the door opens. The first thing that strikes you is that this car is super sleek. It doesn't seem like a car Russ would own at all. It's a Lexus, and it looks like it cost a million dollars. It's clean, smart, and has an air of superiority without the flashiness. It's been well kept, the tires are practically unused and it purrs like a big cat. You like the colour of it too, its almost black, but it has purplish-maroon undertones that make it look super sexy, if you do say so yourself. You're sure any car dealer would orgasm over this vehicle.  
But of course, it wouldn't be Russ' car. He looks like more of a moped guy, and you sneak a peak at the number plate to find it personalized with 'BLCKBRY'. This is Black's car.  
Holy shit.

"(y/n)! (y/n) is that you?" The long striding footfalls and thuds of Russ' boots draw near. You can tell it's him because you can hear the zips of his cropped jacket jangling as he moves. He's running, and ditches his cigarette before he crouches to your level on the floor.  
You didn't know so many of them smoked.

"Russ! I told you not to come for me." You sigh hopelessly, and his hands hold onto your knees. He smirks.

"and i didn't listen. i wondered why ya weren't replyin' to anyone. you've really set tha house into panic."

You sigh.

"I'm sorry...some bitch at work made me feel like a total idiot...and I don't know...I was feeling jealous-" You avoid the topic of what the 'bitch at work' actually did, because it involves Russ' family and you expect he wouldn't be too pleased about that. You'll deal with the humiliation on your own.

"jealous? of who, darlin'?" Russ touches your face gently with the tips of his fingers. They're cold and it feels unnatural at first.

"Mmmm..." You can't decide whether to tell him. But this moment seems secluded enough to tell the truth. "Frisk."

"frisk? ya mean the embassy brat?...why?"

You have to laugh at yourself. You do sound stupidly petty and ridiculous. Russ better be prepared to have his perception of you ruined for the rest of time.

"Papyrus mentioned how much he loves her and...I don't know. I have to write about her a lot in the papers, and we're all expected to adore her, she's such a success but an impossible role model and I felt sort of...unworthy; inadequate."

Russ is nodding but you expect he's just being polite. Your eyes are watering again, so you lower your head to hide them from him. You hate to be seen crying...you expect you look repulsive anyway but better not make it worse. "I'm really sorry. I said you didn't need to c-"

At first you're not sure what's happening, apart from whatever it is, it's like being fed water after a terrible drought. You feel elated; weightless, and your hands crawl up to grasp Russ' coat collar, drawing him in because you want more of this medicine.   
This kiss is a gift and a little bubble of your own to be safe in. He didn't need to use words to comfort you, all he needed to do was show you some affection: A very forward form of affection but it works. It's woken you up, and you feel the burden of inadequacy melt away in the warmth of his breath and the unexpected softness of his lips.  
There's something quite rebellious about being kissed up against a wall. It feels dirty, especially as you're on the floor, but at the same time it's refreshing, and exhilarating.

"Mm~ Russ?" You lean back just enough to separate, and because of his position he has to look up at you.

"yeah, darlin'?"

You giggle softly and rest your head onto his shoulder. The fur tickles your face but you're so tired now from the day that you couldn't care less.

"Thank you." The cosy, soothing sensation of long arms wrapping up your body makes your already racing heart flutter again. "You're so clever, Russ. Thank you for coming you...brilliant person."

He laugh-sighs, and hoists you up into the air, dangling from his arms like a forlorn bride. You groan and let him carry you back to the car. He helps you get into the passenger seat, and then he takes you back home.

Today had been an emotional roller coaster. First, that horrendous dream, second, the panicked skeletons and third, the email. The call with mom, the kiss, the ride home...

An exhausted sigh escapes your lungs as you collapse onto the bed in your apartment. You'd said goodbye to Russ, and rather bashfully thanked him for the kiss. He told you you needed it, and that if you ever wanted one again, he'd be happy to assist you.  
You'd giggled like a giddy schoolgirl at that, and he'd waved a nonchalant farewell and walked back to his car, parked further up the street. Maybe he was hoping for another kiss at the door, and that's why he parked so far from your place, maybe he'd hoped something would happen on the walk to the door...  
Thoughts about what you could have done, and should have done plague you for the rest of the evening, but soon it's time to devour a well-earned can of mac and cheese, and get into bed. Work will be different tomorrow, at least you hope so. You'll stop acting like a hormonal adolescent, and stand up strong. Russ has given you so much confidence in yourself, that you feel practically unstoppable. You're glad that he kissed you platonically, as a sign of affection but also an assistance. You really did need something like that to wake you up, and he just gave you that little hit of good feeling to perk up your rock bottom spirits.

Sleep is dreamless, and the next morning you send a bunch of texts to the boys, who had now gone silent since yesterday morning. You apologize, and promise to amend your mistakes.

The hardest thing is telling Sans you won't be coming for Christmas, and you can see he's disappointed by the use of full stops, and the short messages from thereon after.  
You leave for work with high hopes,and you march in and attack the day.

It goes well. You filed a complaint to Arkwright about Jodie and her 'hilarious' prank, and fixed your article before sending it attached straight to the boss in the same email. Jodie Greening has made a fatal mistake, and you're happy to make it known. Serves her right for being a total bitch!

The rest of the day runs smoothly. No one talks to you, and you're satisfied with that. Jodie avoids you and she doesn't even give an apology or anything, which just emphasizes the need for her to serve some kind of sentence for what she did.

A whole week passes and no one says anything to you about your article. Christmas closes in, and your parents are hitting up your mobile, home phone, anything they can to try and arrange times and presents and events...  
Stress is building up. Assignments all chalked up, papers published, parties missed due to general exhaustion, and a sad lack of skeletons. You make sure to keep in touch though. You've taken up calling Papyrus and Blue sometimes after work, and you video call Sans and the whole bunch at weekends. They promise to have you around their place again at new year, and you agree immediately. They all look adorable in their christmas sweaters, so much that you took a screenshot of your last call with them so that you could look at them and remember them when you're at your parent's house.   
You just hope none of them forget you're away and try to visit or ring you up, because there's terrible connection where you're headed and you won't have your computer there. It's a little worrying, because of how drastically the poor lads react. You fell asleep in a call with Papyrus once, and his screams woke you up, because he was yelling about murder and fatality. 

 

December flies by, and soon you find yourself standing on platform 3 in Ebott station, waiting for a train to Newhaven, the village you grew up in.

 

This holiday weekend would be a weird one, you're sure of that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Sorry if it's weird and bad, but I was trying hard to get it done before Xmas, haha. Sad times I know, but things have to go down before they can go up, yes?
> 
> HAPPY HOLIDAYS!  
> Don't forget to leave kudos and comment if you liked it, and have a great day!


	8. Missing Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a brief overview of your stay with your parents over Christmas. You would have much preferred a break at home, but what can you do?  
> Sorry everything is so late!

When your parents ask about your love life, there's always been one definitive answer, and that's 'I haven't got a love life, mom, you'd know if I did.' and then you receive a lecture about how pretty you are and that you need to have faith. Except you know she's just saying it because she's your mom, and it means nothing.  
But this year, when sitting around the cosy pine table of your parent's house in Newhaven (Ebott outskirts), the question of your love life is thrown at you again, and for a minute, you stop eating and think about it. For once, you have to actually think about it.  
For the first two...maybe three weeks, you'd been in a state of denial over your crushes. For one, it seemed illogical and totally nonsensical to be attracted to a monster. But here you are, and it isn't just one monster either, no. Maybe not all of the skeleton boys, but a fair few of them are definitely in your good books. Sans for his sense of humour, his smile and his subtle sexiness. Russ for being a clever bastard who really knows how to make a girl feel special, and Black and Red are wavering on being super hot. If only you weren't so nervy around them. Red makes you feel embarrassed because he's so impulsive and makes you do crazy things. And Black? He's perhaps a little scary. He's so quiet but he can get agitated fast.  
And then there's Stretch. He'd make a great best friend, but you won't stick him in that zone yet. He's got a slightly sexy attitude which you like, and the way he doesn't seem to care, in it's own way, is rather attractive.

"Hun?" Your mother repeats the question, and you apologize. 

"Sorry, I was lost in thought."

"I could tell! So tell me, got your eye on any boys yet?" Your father shakes his head and pretends to find his potatoes more interesting. Your mom, on the other hand, presses you for an answer. "You can tell me."

"Well...yes and no." You put our cutlery down to speak. "You see, I've made a few friends recently, but I'm not sure if I have crushes on them properly."

Even though pops wasn't listening, he looks just as confused as you mom. She cocks her head to the side.  
"Darling? What do you mean?"

A shiver slithers up your spine. 'Darling': the name Russ uses for you. Except his voice is much lower and rougher and he's got a different accent.

"Well...they're sort of...unconventional." The looks they give you quicken your pulse, and you're red faced already, hands shaking so you hide them under the lip of the table. "Monsters."

The silence is disturbing. What is so wrong with having a crush of a monster or...or five? Maybe quite a lot, how should you know?

"It's not that bad, really. They're just really nice guys and-"

"Monsters?" Your Dad says, interrupting. You can sense the distaste from your mother when he cuts you off. "You mean you've been dating other species?"

"Dad, I said I wasn't sure." You're suspecting a sprinkling of monsterphobia in your father at this moment, and you don't want it to ruin dinner, and so you save the conversation by lying. "And besides, I like a human guy more."

"Oh thank god. Who is he? That rich bloke from your work?"

You snort, "Arkwright? Dad what the hell."

"I can dream, honey."

"No, it's a boy who works in the store near my apartment. His name's Danny."

Your mom smiles wide, and resumes eating like your father. 

"Danny...that's a cute boy's name."

"Mhm." You spear a parsnip with guilt lodged in your throat. That was an outright lie and you hate to lie to your parents like this. "He is cute. Light hair, freckles..."

"He sounds adorable, darling! You must send me a photo of him so I can see if he's good enough for you."

"Moooom." You shake your head and change the subject. "Anyway, are you and Dad okay now? I was so worried."

The parents' happy expressions fade a bit.

"Ah yes." Your mom sips her champagne appropriately. "We did have a fall out, but it's fixing itself, isn't it, dear?"

"I guess." Your Dad doesn't seem like he wants to cooperate, and you sigh.

"I really hope nothing goes down. I'm here to remind you guys that...something about Christmas spirit?"

Mom laughs, and the evening continues to drone on. You get asked if you want a stocking for Santa Clause and you politely decline, leaving two presents for your parents under the small fake tree in the living room and heading up to bed.

"Merry Christmas eve!"

Your old room is almost exactly how it was when you left, and it's embarrassing to find the pillow you used to use as a substitute boyfriend in high-school still on your bed, oozing dark and regrettable memories.  
However, five minutes in bed and you're already missing home. You miss your queen size bed, and the sound of the street below. You miss the sounds of the cars on the street and the smell of hot microwave food after a busy day. This house just smells like...turkey and fabric softener. 

You miss the skellies too. You miss their chirpy voices coming through the phone, and miss seeing their faces, so, reluctantly, you grab and smother the boyfriend pillow like a long lost soulmate, and then have the bright idea to call Sans.

It's true, you're a little bit drunk, but you've only had half a bottle of Champagne, and just a teensy bit of Dad's brandy. Calling Sans on video seems like a great plan, and it rings and rings until the answerphone cranks up. You try again, and this time after the second ring, the screen morphs into a bad quality image of Sans' face. He must be in a dark room, because the only light is the light from his phone. His head is just one white and black shape juddering slightly on the screen...and is that a Christmas hat?

"eyyy, kiddo. thought ya were at your parents' place." Sans sounds sleepy, like you've maybe woken him up.

"I am, but it's night and I'm bored."  
Sans laughs softly and you hear a clink as he puts down a cup.

"well...i read your article in the paper this morning."

That information makes you regret calling Sans now. This was a horrible idea. You forgot your article got moved to the Christmas issue, and of course the curious little sod read it...god damn it. You're sure it would be an embarrassment for him to read what you wrote based on him. All the references you used were references to him, and because he knows that it just makes things more awkward.

"Oh! Oh no..." You blush, but you doubt he can notice anything. "How was it?"

Sans's pearly white teeth stretch into a bigger smile.

"well, gotta say i'm flattered that ya thought so highly of me. i also liked how ya commented on the mistreatment of our species, and the ways in which we could be a use for society. honestly, it made me kinda proud ta be a monster, ya know? you're a great writer, kid."

His words were like rays of sunshine, and that reflected in your expression. He liked it that much? You laugh breathlessly.

"Wow! Hah...I had no idea you'd like it." Your smile rivals the size of his at the moment, and your chst feels all fluttery. A real compliment...a genuine compliment! "Please don't show the others though...I'm still kind of embarrassed."

"don't worry, kid. i'm not gonna show it ta anyone. it's our little secret, heheh."

You giggle and you hear a muffled: "Go to sleep, hun!" from the next room where your parents have now gone to bed. You sigh and tap the screen of your phone to get Sans' attention.

"I have to go now." You say solemnly.

 

The bells on Sans' hat jingle and he chuckles.

"already? stars, kid, see ya then."

 

"Mwah!" You blow a kiss to the screen and wave goodbye, and he rolls his eyes and salutes you farewell before you hang up.  
Everything seems lonely now without Comic, so you grip the phone tightly and sleep with it still in your hand, holding on to the tiny piece of him you have with you.

Christmas day is a classic family celebration. it's just you, your mom and your dad, and you just chill out all day, eating through the typically huge Christmas banquet and unwrapping gifts from relatives and pretending to be pleased before bursting into giggles if it's ghastly.  
You enjoy the day, and the presents you received weren't at all bad either.

Your mother got you clothes, which included a cute little black dress and a big fluffy jumper that reminded you of the kind that the brothers wear. You wear the sweater all day over the top of your pajamas, and be careful not to spill anything on it and spoil the colour.

 

"Stay with us for boxing day, sweetie." you mom has been pleading for you to stay all day. 'One more week' turned to 'one more day', and you sigh.

"I have to work tomorrow. I can't miss the day because I haven't earned any vacation days yet." You say, and secretly acknowledge also that you want to have time to give the boys their presents from you before the Christmas period is over. Your mother agrees, and she tries to beg you to stay one last time when you're all standing on the station. You have your overstuffed rucksack over your shoulder, and another jam-packed bag in the other, and you board your train once it arrives. Your luggage had been twice as light when you arrived, but of course, you'd forgotten to accommodate room for Christmas presents and so now each bag weighs a tonne.

You take a seat, and wave goodbye to your little holiday, Christmas and your parents as the world begins to slowly drift away. You pull out your sweater, and hug it for a little while, hoping to feel slightly less depressed about having to go to work.  
You'll get back to Ebott, dismount the train and quickly buy the late gifts for the boys and then...visit them?  
You're so tired, and seeing all of them would be a stress fest...  
But you haven't seen them in person for weeks, it's hardly fair on them. Then again, what does it matter to them? You're sure they like you, others more than most, but they can surely live without seeing you can't they?

You almost fall asleep on the train. Lunchtime arrives and leaves, and you wake up hungry so plan to get food on the way home. However, when you pull into the station at Ebott central, your plans are shattered, because standing there as bold as brass, is Papyrus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!  
> If you liked it, please comment and leave kudos! It really helps and you guys have been so kind.
> 
> Next time is new year (late again, I know,), and plans again just won't go to plan.


	9. The Sky Welcomes You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A last minute shopping trip with Papyrus. You haven't got anything for a belated Christmas gift yet for any of the skeletons, and you're just really missing home...

"H-hello." You looked up and squinted from the brightness of the white sky. "What are you doing here, Papy?"

The skeleton shrugs his shoulders, and looks at his toe as he stubs it into the platform, avoiding eye contact.  
"I GUESS I WANTED TO SEE YOU, (Y/N). I DIDN'T GET TO SEE YOU PROPERLY FOR A LITTLE WHILE." Papyrus stops poking the ground with his foot, and instead puts one hand on his hip and looks at you. "I HEARD FROM SANS THAT YOU'D BE HERE SO, I SNEAKED OUT TO FIND YOU MYSELF!"

"Like a game?" You ask, smiling. He's wearing this adorable dark red jumper, and a white shirt underneath. He looks very academic for some reason. Like a cute dork you would see in the movies.

 

"EXACTLY!" He declares, "A HUNTING GAME." 

 

"Well, I'm afraid I don't have any prizes for you, no candy or...like, a magic key or anything..." You pretend to search your pockets and Papyrus laughs.

"YOU ARE A PRIZE ENOUGH, (Y/N)!" That booming voice is nice and all, as well as his compliment, but you're not sure you like the fact that literally everyone here can hear it.

"Th-thank you, Papyrus!" You grab hold of his large gloved hand quickly, and he makes a little noise of surprise. "I've got a lot of shopping to do before I visit your family..." You second check your next suggestion, because asking Papyrus to come along could be the best idea you've ever had, or the worst. He's big and looks strong, he could carry some things if you need help...or maybe he's be helpful with picking things out for his brothers...or whatever they are. "Would you like to help me?"

"I'D LIKE NOTHING MORE, DEAR FRIEND! WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?"  
You think for a moment, going quiet.

"Umm..."

"IS IT GIFTS YOU'RE AFTER? OR THINGS FOR YOURSELF?"

"Presents! Yes, definitely. I need to buy you and all your brothers things for Christmas."Your words don't seem to compute with the poor boy, and he raises one 'eyebrow'.

"BUT GYF-I MEAN CHRISTMAS WAS YESTERDAY!"

"I know but I wasn't here then. I need something to give you boys because we're all friends aren't we?"

Papyrus lights up, and his fingers curl to practically crush your hand.

"OF COURSE! I'LL LET YOU KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT EVERYONE ON THE WAY INTO TOWN."

Well, he sure did tell you a lot. Papyrus can talk non-stop at astonishing speed if you give him a reason. He's like a wind-up toy that you wound up a little too much. He pulls you through the crowds of people trying to get to the sales, dragging you around town.

"MOST OF MY FELLOW SKELETONS ARE NERDS. I KNOW A SHOP THAT BLACK ALWAYS LIKES. THEY SELL SOME COOL THINGS IN THERE LIKE MUSIC AND SUPER HERO FIGURINES!"

You nod along with his words. 

"So Black likes music?" That would make sense, he seems like the emotional musician type. You're worried about him though, since he got so angry over messaging. "Um...how is Black, by the way?"

"AH. YES, I ALMOST FORGOT." Papyrus stops outside a small hidden shop, looking very overcrowded with fan merchandise of various franchises, and a lot of comic books and retro TV show memorabilia. "I THINK WE'LL SHOP FIRST, THEN FINISH THIS CONVERSATION."

You're taken aback. Since when did Papyrus take charge like this? You kind of like it: not having to do any work. 

"Okay."

He takes you into the shop, where it smells funny and a pair of weird looking men keep glancing over at you. "It's weird in here." You say, and Papyrus seems to hold your hand a little tighter.

"BLACK HAS ALWAYS WANTED ONE OF THESE." He stops and stands out of the way to show you a nice looking record player. It's certainly like no music player you've ever seen before. It's also obviously had a lot of thought and money invested in the design, for example the dark glass casing over the metallic purple box. The layer under the glass looks almost like a miniature universe, and shimmers with shades . The arm looks strong and the needle sharp. The inner lid is covered in black velvet and it shuts with a gold clasp on the front. The box is made of polished wood, varnished to look like mahogany, and all together it's sleek, smart and respectable...just like Black; perfect for an edgy prince like himself. 

"I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS ONE BEFORE, THOUGH. NORMALLY THERE'S JUST A BASIC DESIGN." Papyrus taps his chiseled jaw thoughtfully. "I DON'T RECOGNIZE THE BRAND EITHER."

He's right. The brand is totally unrecognizable. On the lid someone has engraved a 'P' in a ring of thorns and strange flowers. 

"IT'S MONSTER MADE." Papyrus states, bending down to examine the record player more closely. "IT MUST BE MAGIC! THIS IS A UNIQUE FIND (Y/N)!"

"Wow..." You mutter, a smile spreading on your face. You had no idea stuff like this existed! The item excites you, and you feel all fluttery inside. "I bet it costs a sweet diamond though." You look around for a price, but there's no tag on it. 

"LET ME." Papyrus searches too, more thoroughly than you, and still he finds no indication of a price. "WE'LL JUST HAVE TO ASK. ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT THIS FOR BLACK, (Y/N)?"

You suddenly doubt yourself. Perhaps it's a little grand to give someone a record player for Christmas, especially as you've barely ever met them.

"I-IF NOT...MAYBE SOMEONE ELSE WOULD LIKE IT...I CERTAINLY THINK IT'S VERY BEAUTIFUL AND...I'M SURE IT'LL LOOK REALLY COOL NEXT TO THE-"

"I get it for all of you!" You exclaim, which causes a few stares. "It'll be great fun for everyone, right? I'm sure everyone likes music."

Papyrus blushes and nods quickly.

"YES! BRILLIANT SOLUTION!" He carefully picks up the wooden box, and makes sure the lid is clipped down before marching over to the counter. You follow, and continue to enjoy having this lovely boy waiting on you like a true gentleman. "SIR!" Papyrus startles the cashier on the other side of the counter. He's an overweight man, quite short with unwashed black hair and the complexion of a vampire. He'd been arranging a display of magical girl figurines behind the desk before he was interrupted. Despite jumping at the voice earlier, he seems nonchalant about seeing a skeleton. 

"No need to shout." He shakes his head. "What is it this time? I told you guys I'd have it sold..." He narrows his eyes for a second.

"INDEED YOU SHALL! IF ONLY YOU'D KINDLY TELL US THE PRICE OF THIS MARVELOUS OBJECT." Papyrus places the record player on the desk, making the trinkets rattle on their stands. The man blinks slowly, then a wash of realization covers his features. 

"Ah, well, I got this in about a week ago...a guy visits here often and lets me sell his stuff. This is a unique design, and I have reason to believe it's hand made too." Your heart sinks, of course it's going to be worth hundreds at least, you just know it. The man goes on: "I've been promised twenty percent of whatever this goes for. You're lucky to be so early, normally things like this are gone in seconds..." He thinks whilst examining the box with his fingers, and you feel like he might break it by accident. Papyrus seems tense too, because he's gone all stiff in his posture and his smile is tight. "On the other hand, I'm not sure this thing can function as a record player. I've had a go at using my vinyls on it and none of them seem to work. So, that knocks off a few hundred I suppose..." You look at Papyrus who is just nodding, but doesn't seem phased by anything the guy is saying, so you resume nervously staring at the player. "I'll take no less than two fifty for it." The man folds his arms, and watches Papyrus closely.

The skeleton strokes his chin thoughtfully, and he notices how you look crestfallen over the price. He engages with his 'game face' and flashes a grin.   
"GREAT! I'LL TAKE IT." He pulls out a bright red wallet, and you fuss over him paying, trying to get him to let you do it, but he's much too tall and holds the bills out of reach, shaking his head at you as though he's scorning a child. "HONESTLY, (Y/N), I CANNOT ALLOW A LADY TO DO SUCH A THING!" And he triumphantly hands over the money. It amazes you that he just casually had a couple hundred dollars in his wallet, ready to whip out whenever. Where do these monsters get their money?! So far, it seems as though it's just Sans that has a real job, the rest never seem to really leave the house too much. You're not even sure if Sans' job is a highly ranked one or anything, come to think of it, do you even know what he does for real?

"HERE, (Y/N)!" Papyrus holds out a cardboard box, now containing the precious record player. You flush because he's bought this with his money, even though it's for you to give away. 

"Th-thank you, Papy."

"I'LL CARRY THIS FOR YOU. ARE YOU HUNGRY? WE CAN GET LUNCH IF YOU WISH." His smile is so genuine and happy that it makes you feel happy, if not slightly more guilty for not paying. 

 

"U-um...okay! Will you tell me more about Black then?" You hope bringing up Black again won't seem insensitive, and Papyrus nods, leading you out the store.

"OF COURSE. I KNOW A GOOD PLACE FOR US."

The cafe is small and obviously not a franchise. It's attended by only monsters, and you feel watched and out of place as you are taken to a little red table by the window and have the chair drawn for you.

"Th-thank you Papy." You parrot. He's so noble it's really hard not to thank him for everything he does.

"THIS WILL DO NICELY! (Y/N), EXCUSE ME FOR JUST A MINUTE." He gets up and doesn't wait for your reply before striding off.   
Alone in the cafe, you lower your head, afraid of the monsters around you. They're amazing, but they're so foreign and some look quite scary; big teeth and multiple eyes...

You study the menu for a while, and eventually your knight in shining red trainers comes back, bearing a tray. He sits down and asks you to choose whatever you want from the array of various drinks and cakes he's bought.

"Oh! Papy, this is too much. I'd be happy with just coffee..."

"PLEASE DON'T FEAR, DEAREST HUMAN." Papyrus says with a smile. "ANYTHING YOU DO NOT CONSUME, I AM CERTAIN MY HOUSEMATES WILL."

You giggle and take a tall glass of hot chocolate from the tray and begin stirring the cream on top into the drink whilst you talk to Papyrus. He seems eager to tell you all about the Christmas he had, or 'Gyftmas', as they called it Underground. You've missed seeing his energetic self, and the more you listen to his voice, the more painfully you desire to see your friends again.  
You've already observed once before how he's very animated when he talks. He uses his hands a lot to express himself, and whenever he does, sometimes his sweater will pull tighter over his broad and inviting chest, which you have to admit is rather distracting. His hands look nice in the deep red leather gloves he's wearing too, especially as the colour suits him. You have a thing for gloes, you're sure.

"I'm so glad you had a good day yesterday. Do you think your brothers would be okay with me coming to see them?"

"MOST DEFINITELY! WE'VE REALLY MISSED YOU, (Y/N). I BELIEVE A FEW STILL THINK THEY'VE DONE SOMETHING WRONG, AND I SINCERELY HOPE THEY HAVEN'T."

"No no!" you shake your head. "I really want to make it up to you guys, because I was such a d-" You don't suppose Papyrus would appreciate the word you were about to verbalize, and so you quickly change your phrase. "...so silly and...I hate making people unhappy." You sigh. "I'll visit today, and tomorrow, and...and anytime you guys want!"

"REALLY?" Papyrus' smile lengthens and he grips the edge of the table. 

"Yeah! When we're finished here let's go back to yours." You aren't sure if Papyrus is telling the whole truth when he stresses that everyone will want to see you. Black you're sure has a bitter disliking for you or something. He never appears in voice calls, and he hasn't replied to your apology message from a while back. You just hope he's okay. There's nothing worse than one sour apple in a basket of sweet ones. Especially if you're the one who put it there.

Papyrus has a way of brightening things up. Any time you start to speak negatively about yourself or your life, he spins it into a more positive light. You leave the cafe with him in high spirits, and it's started to snow a little bit.

"THE SKY WELCOMES YOU HOME, (Y/N)." Your tall companion grabs your hand and by this point, being dragged around is normal. He walks you to the bus station, and lets you mount first.  
However, the only seats remaining are single seats.

"SIT HERE, I SHALL STAND AND GUARD YOU." Papyrus pats one of the chairs and holds onto the yellow support bars on the ceiling. "ALL SORTS OF DANGER IS FOUND ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT! TAKE THEFT FOR EXAMPLE..."

You roll your eyes and grin, sitting down and listening to him list and explain all the many dangers of using public vehicles. Sometime during your journey, you stop hearing the words he says, and start gazing up at him from your seat. It was so kind of him to let you take the seat instead of himself, and he seems genuinely concerned for you. He acts with the objective of making you happy, and it's the sweetest thing. You wish you could be more like that.  
His face when he talks is adorable too. It's like he believes in what he's saying, and he has full confidence in what he knows and who he feels he is...it's admirable to say the least.

"THIS IS OUR STOP, (Y/N). ALLOW ME-" Papyrus helps you off the bus, and you thank him.

"How much further is it to your house from here?" You ask, realizing you don't recognize where you are yet. The buildings are all pretty much the same and there's nothing similar to a landmark or street sign anywhere.

"ARE YOUR LEGS TIRED?" Papyrus gently touches your shoulder. "IT WON'T BE MUCH FURTHER..." 

The neighborhood the brothers live in looks nothing similar to your current surroundings, and the bus system in Ebott is pretty central to the city. So if they live to the east of the centre by a little way...you'd expect it to be at least a mile and a half until you got even remotely close to where you want to be.

"Mmm...Not really, I just don't like walking so much."

"YOU DON'T?" Papyrus raises an eyebrow, as if baffled by this concept. "NO MATTER! I HAVE A SOLUTION!" And then the skeleton gingerly scoops you up into his arms with ease, and begins carrying you.

"Hey hey hey! Papyrus! I didn't mean-"

"IT'S QUITE ACCEPTABLE, (Y/N). I'M USED TO CARRYING MY BROTHER AROUND WHEN HE IS TIRED. I MUST SAY YOU ARE MUCH LIGHTER THAN I ANTICIPATED." 

You give up protesting. It's probably a good idea to just accept what Papyrus does rather than resist it. He's much too neurotic to do anything he deems unsafe.  
It turns out that his house isn't as far as you thought. Maybe it's his long stride, or the fact that you notice how warm he is compared to the snow and the winter air and you start to fall asleep, but the journey is virtually timeless.

"AT LAST! MY HUMBLE DWELLING." Papyrus places you carefully on the ground, and unlocks the front door to the house you visited last on Halloween. It brings up so many memories, and you can't help but feel a little excited. You remember those cars in the garage, those big windows and the shoe rack blocking the window next to the door. The coats, the lights and the sofas you slept on...You're nervous and can't wait to see the boys again, and just hope that they are as happy to see you as you are to see them. "I'M HOME, BROTHER! AND LOOK WHO I BROUGHT!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! If you like this fic, feel free to leave kudos and comment or whatever! Sorry this update wasn't worth the wait, and I am stupidly out of sync with everything but I'm very busy lol.
> 
> Next time there's a bit of conflict, and New Years is causing a bit of a disturbance among the skeleton family...what could be the problem?


	10. Through the Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You end up staying the night at the skeleton household, and so far things have been strangely insightful.

"BROTHER?" Papyrus removed your coat so gently that you barely noticed he was doing it, and hollered for Sans again, this time using his name. "SANS! YOU HALF-BRAINED SKULLWIT! COME UP HERE AND WELCOME OUR GUEST OR SO HELP ME-"

"hey, bro." Sans, wearing a white lab coat with the sleeves rolled up and with a pair of welding goggles perched on his head, saunters down the staircase. His face is blackened with some kind of charcoal-ish powder like something has exploded near him, and yet his shit-eating grin is ever white and perfect. "m'lady." He tips his goggles and you start laughing. "how's things?"

You let him give you a friendly hug, and ignore the black smudges he leaves on your shoulders and potentially face whilst doing so.

"I'm fine. I had a great day with Papy, and I brought you guys a thing for a late Christmas present...um..." Looking up at Papyrus, you notice he has a certain frown on. It's not anger, but perhaps a disgusted frown, or maybe even a remorseful one. You can't quite tell if it's Sans or something else that's bugging him so much, but you immediately feel bad. "I'll pay you back soon, Papy, otherwise it's not fair."

Papyrus snaps out of whatever mood he was in, and hangs your coat on the peg beside his.

"NEVER FEAR, DEAREST (Y/N). IT WAS A GIFT AND A HALF TO BE WITH YOU TODAY." He clasps his hands, and takes a deep breath. "I SHALL PREPARE THE DINNER, SO LONG AS NO ONE ELSE HAS TRIED YET." 

"nope."

"AS EXPECTED. ARE THE FELLS HOME YET?"

"also nope."

"FANTASTIC! SPAGHETTI IT IS! AT LAST!" Papyrus basically pounces on the opportunity, and you grin at him as he zips into the kitchen like a kid let out of school. Presumably kitchen wars are abundant in this house, and you can't possibly imagine who might be the soldiers in the running battle.

Sans gives you the best 'raised eyebrows' face he can with a distinct lack of them and also a face full of soot. You shake your head and laugh.

"It's good to see you guys again. You have no idea how much I missed you." You admit to him, and he snorts.

"ha! we knew you were lonely, kiddo, but not that lonely." He knows he's being cheeky, and his expression makes him too forgivable to get mad at. "most o' tha guys are gonna be out 'til late, so why dontcha come hang with me in my dungeon for a few hours, hm?" he sneaks in a wink and you fold your arms. You're feeling sassy; would being a little flirty do any harm? Probably not. Besides, he's asking for it: bringing up the ol' 'sex dungeon' reference in casual conversation...classic Sans you suppose. 

"Sure, hun, why don't you give me a few minutes to uh...slip into something a little more comfortable..." You try to sound as alluring as possible, and the ghost of a smirk crosses the skeleton's lips for a moment, before he plays it off coolly.

"ya mean a lab coat? sure, we got loads. you're gonna need goggles too." His smugness forces your eyes to roll, and you nod.

"Alright, doctor. Show me your man cave."

Sans takes you through the hall to a door, plastered in yellow warning tape and laminate pictures of memes relating to danger and science. On the handle there's an overkill looking padlock, and you notice what you assume is the key in Sans' top pocket.

"on a serious note, kid, don't ever go down here without me alright? it's...pretty dangerous and i dunno what i'd do if ya got hurt." He pushes open the door and allows you to go first. The door leads to a flight of steps, presumably leading to the basement. It's well lit so not as scary as you'd expect a basement to be like in the movies. "after you."

The basement smells like dust and mold, and the closer to the bottom of the stairs you get, the smell of burning food of the first floor dissipates, and is replaced with a pleasant and comforting scent of coffee and oil. It smells kind of sweaty too, like a sock drawer. Honestly, it doesn't gross you out too much. Surely skeleton sweat can't be as disgusting as human sweat? You're not even sure if they're supposed to secrete things like sweat...is that normal for something made of bone?!  
...Made of magic, right you forget.

"sorry, kiddo, but ya gonna need this stuff." Sans stops you at the next door with a hand on your shoulder. He gestures to the rack of coats and goggles identical to his own on the wall, and you take a pair that doesn't look as oily or stained as the rest before putting them on.

"Do I look intelligent yet?" You flash your finger guns in an attempt to be funny, and to your surprise Sans laughs. The door opens with his mesmerizing cerulean magic, and he hurries you to get inside.

"ya look right at home in that, heheh. welcome to my lab, by the way." Sans' grin and the shape of his eyes tells you he's actually a little proud of the room he's presented to you, and you're not surprised. The room is huge and spacious, although papers of all manner lay scattered all over the metal plated floor, and desks and computer screens line the walls and create partitions that form little room and areas, some containing large machines,others sofas and filing cabinets. In the far corner, you see an ominous looking bulk, covered in a dirty white sheet that exposes a few rusty looking pipes underneath. The whole place is blinking and whirring, just like a space station of some kind.

"The tech in here is astounding..." You step forwards a little, bewildered by the panels of holographic monitor screens and keyboards about six times the size of a regular one. The space-tech is matched with crappy looking laptops that clearly belong to certain members of the household. One is plastered in space stickers from various planetarium found in Ebott, whilst others are covered in laminate stickers similar to the ones on the basement door and one is just standard red, with a single note stuck to the front that says 'FUCK OFF'.  
Two worn couches sit near to the mysterious machine, and beside them is a broken three legged table that looks like it was bought from a Swedish flat-pack store ten years ago, which barely supports a huge and slick looking coffee dispenser, complete with a litter of mugs and used bottles ranging from honey to barbecue sauce.  
Despite it being a place of work, it has the most personality you've ever seen crammed into one room.

"Shi-eesh..." You correct yourself and blush slightly over the mistake. You really need to hold your tongue. "This is awesome! Is this where you guys work? What do you do in here? What's all this stuff for?!" One of the holograms looks the most interesting, and you rush to fiddle with the long white keyboard in front, grinning at the clunky and ancient looking mouse connected to the swanky new gear. "This stuff shouldn't even exist yet! How...How did you even..."

Sans just stands there and watches you in silence. There's something about the lights in your eyes, and the awe in your voice that makes him feel...he's not sure. Pride? Maybe a little, but he also feels happy. He feels a little flutter in his chest that he's rarely felt before. A flutter he's felt a few times with Frisk, and now with you? Watching you chatter away to him and spilling out questions fills him with a certain warmth. It's just like that time when he first met you and showed you his magic. You had lights in your eyes then, and a smile on your face. Something about that smile makes him want to see it more...

"Sans?" You turn your head, and find him gazing into the middle distance: lost in thought. "I'm guessing you heard none of my questions, huh." You sigh and leave the stuff alone for a second, turning to lean against the desk. "Oh well, I guess most of it was classified."

"shit, sorry, kid. i'll answer questions if i can but...agh, hang on..." He rushes towards his laptop: the silver one with the planetarium stickers on the lid. Sans tinkers with it for a minute, and you watch with pure curiosity over his shoulder, sometimes having to duck to look under his arm or something.  
Without you noticing, his grin turns a little sly, partly because you're being a nosey parker, but also because you're so close. "hmm...welp, there's no savin' that."

"What? I didn't cause a problem did I?" Suddenly the gravity of your arrival and the way you messed around with the computers dawn upon you. Did you really cause some kind of shit for Sans now? That would be the cherry on the cake for your feelings of uselessness right now...

"no, stars, kid don't jump ta blamin' yourself all the time. Before i came upstairs part of that machine over there blew a couple fuses and set a bunch of my drives on fire...basically i tried to save 'em but it looks like a few of my servers are down. damn." He sighs and abandons the laptop to go and fetch an armful of papers. His smile had faltered, but now when he looks at you, it returns and it makes you feel a little light headed. "hey, mind if i use ya as another table, kid? i could kinda use some help."

You're not sure how long you spend with Sans in the basement. It feels as though time itself has stopped and you're the only two living things on the planet left. He's smarter than he lets on too, you find out. He tells you about how much of this room is his own design, and tries explaining some of the blueprints to you, but the physics is too mind-boggling and brilliant for your apparently tiny and inferior mind to comprehend. He goes on and on about the uses of magic, and that someday, he wants to look at a real human soul...whatever that means. He doesn't seem to want to elaborate on that statement when you ask, so you assume it's sensitive and proceed to bug him with questions about every machine you can set eyes on.  
You stand in the center of the room whilst this goes on, arms held out like a shelving unit and supporting more papers than you've ever seen Ed from work carry on his rounds. Sans spends his time glaring at monitor screens and making clicking noises with his tongue; something you analyse to be a stress thing. He smiles when he looks at you though, and you can feel his focus melting when that happens. It's a good feeling, and you may admit an especially warm one. This whole room has a good feel about it, actually... except whenever you look over at that machine under the sheet in the corner, that thing has bad vibes or something. For some reason, whenever you see it, a chill runs down your spine.

"So, I'm not allowed to ask about your old lab, right?" 

Sans' pupils flicker to you without moving his head and he stops the clicking.

"heh, that's right."

"So what about your new lab? You know, the one at the embassy."

"what about it?" Comic is great at avoiding having to answer questions. It takes a heck of a lot of patience to force his lazy brain to concentrate on giving good answers and work at the same time. He's not exactly one for multitasking, which is ironic considering the immense workload he seems to have created for himself. Instead of answering flat out, he makes you chase him around and around in circles full of short sentences and rhetoric until he notices it's happening, and just gives you an answer you can benefit from.

"What's it like? What do you do?"

"stuff"

"Like what?"

"uh..." Sans furrows his brow and pinches the bridge of his nose to think. "sorry, what didja say?" 

Okay, now you feel selfish and like a jerk. You're just really interested in Sans' life and want to know what this is all about. Any human would be curious, you're pretty sure this kind of science is unusual for monsters too, so anything would be just as bursting with intrigue as you right now. You peer around the stack of papers in your arms and feel your face flush as you catch him absently itching his collarbone. Something about collarbones is just fantastic, but Sans' is so smooth and perfect and sturdy looking that it's basically irresistible. You're sure the others must be the same, but you've never had the pleasure of seeing anyone else's collarbone except this one so far. 

"Sorry! Sorry, Sans I'll shut up now." Upstairs, the faint noise of the door slamming can be heard. "This has just kinda blown my melon a bit."

"hahah, ah, i'm glad. look, i'll answer more when this is done. ya can leave whenever ya want, by the way 'cus i'm bein' boring."

"Pfft, you're not getting rid of me that easily." You say curtly, marching over to his desk and asserting yourself beside him. You dump the files you were holding onto the floor by your feet and his smile grows. 

"i can try." He retorts, a little softly. "if you're gonna stay down here, want me ta turn up the thermostat? it's remote because i'm a lazy sod so-"

"No, it's alright." You wave away the offer, but then you have an idea. (Idea is not make him turn it up so high he has to take his shirt off or something, no.) "I think I have a good enough bit of heat riiiight here."

It's your turn to wear the sly grin, and you feel a sudden rush of confidence that sends your heart racing as you impulsively latch onto Sans, hugging his chest. He tenses and holds his breath for a moment or two, before he relaxes again with a big sigh.

"really?" He asks, not even taking his eyes off his work. You squeeze him a little tighter to test the boundaries. You're feeling like a child and kind of hyper for a change. Sans makes you go silly all the time, even when just having a casual chat. 

"I'm the magic backpack. Don't question me, bitch." You gasp, fuck you swore! Damnit! Again! Your cheeks burn brighter, and Sans chuckles. His chest throbs with his deep laughter, so much you can feel it through your arms, and it's comforting to say the least. He's warm like you'd hoped too, like a hot water bottle.

"magic backpack, huh? can ya give me my B particle nullifier then please?"

Your silence sends him into more rapturous laughter, and it's infectious, because soon you're giggling too. You don't let go, though.

 

"WHAAAAAAAAAAT?!" The gruff yell of someone immensely pissed off shakes the house. You swear dust crumbles from the ceiling in the basement with the sheer volume. Your laughter dies down, and Sans is listening closely. "WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME?! FOR FUCK'S SAKE!"

"ah, that'll be our one and only edgelord. if he's home, that slam earlier was red."

"Oh jeez." Holding onto Comic makes you feel less scared of the angry shouting going on upstairs. Normally, anger gives you the most uncomfortable sensations ever; sometimes you cry when other people are in trouble and you're not even sure why. Silly things that involve negativity...recently, they really get to you. However, as you thought, the noise from upstairs does nothing except remind you that Sans is a safe person to be around. You kind of forget how nice it is to be with him when you hang out with the others.

"don't worry, (y/n), he won't be angry because you're here." Sans resumes quickly making calculations on a scrap of notepaper. "he'll be angry because you're here and no one told him. as much as he may deny it, i think out of all the humans he's met, you're his favorite."

You groan into Sans' shoulder when he says that, and he laughs.

"no, i mean it! stars, kid, be positive. he hasn't bitten or punched you yet so count yourself lucky."

"Bitten?!" Okay, now that's weird. How many people has Edge bitten for Sans to even suggest that as a thing that could have happened? You decide to change the subject. "Is 'Edge' his real name, by the way?" Come to think of it, this question had been bugging you for days. It sort of didn't seem to make sense as to why someone would be called the abbreviation of 'Edgelord', especially as you've heard that term commonly used to refer to people mockingly. Maybe for a fun person like Stretch (Who's name you will probably never understand), a name that happens to be a joke might be okay, but because Edge is the most self obsessed individual you've ever met, it doesn't quite sit right with you that he'd appreciate his name being what it is. You assume it's his real name, but it might be a nickname instead.

Sans smiles. Again, your curiosity and cleverness amuses him.

"heh, nah we started calling him that because he's a dick. eventually he gave up smacking us whenever we used it." His casualty is disturbing. They all got smacked for joking around? Sounds like Edge, though. Sans snorts, "if ya must know, he called himself 'slim' when we first met, but 'edge' is the name that stuck."

You go quiet: thinking. Why did Sans use the term 'called himself' as if he doesn't know what edge's real name actually is. Maybe he doesn't, because the latter is private about it, but it seemed rather odd to piece together in your head. Sans is clever with avoiding things, and technically not lying when this happens. Maybe this is like the time when he avoided telling you the number of skeletons he lived with, and he's hiding Edge's real name for a reason.

"y'alright, kiddo? for once you're silent." His lips curl into a little smirk and you hit him playfully, letting go and suddenly feeling ice cold.

"I was thinking! Shocking notion, I know." Crossing your arms, you let him laugh that off before continuing. "When do you think dinner will be ready? I'm really hungry, actually."  
Sans checks the clock on the monitor in front of him for a brief second, then admits he didn't actually read the time and just looked at a vague spot on the screen. You sigh and can't help but relate to him on that habit. You often pretend to look at the clock instead of doing it properly because...you're not sure, but it happens. Sans looks again, and shrugs.

"it's half six. 'reckon paps will be done soon."

"Oh yeah..." Papyrus is an innocent boy, but his cooking could be the work of the devil himself, to be frank. the unholy glitter concentration in each serving looks like it could choke a horse, and the noodles are always at that kind of under-cooked-and-kinda-see-through level and a bit watery. The poor lad couldn't cook to save his life, and now you feel yours might be in danger if you eat dinner in this house. "Sans, he's not making spaghetti is he?"

Your companion snorts and chokes on his sudden laughter.  
"he's been practicing for ya, kiddo. you should thank your stars he discovered that humans can't eat glitter last week."

"Well, that's something." You're still afraid of eating whatever turns up on the dining table though. Even if it's glamour free, it'll still be basically inedible...but as Sans said, you should thank your stars that Papyrus has at least been trying to learn, and hey, maybe he's gotten better since you last experienced his cooking.

"i'll save ya if it's too bad, don't worry." 

That makes you smile. It makes it seem like he's got your back, and that's a new and wonderful feeling.

A few minutes later, you're both called upstairs to eat, and even though you're hungry you dread what'll be waiting for you at the top of the stairs. After Sans locks the door behind you both, he taps your shoulder.

"uh, (y/n), goggles." He grins widely at your embarrassment and pockets your goggles and his own before taking your coat for you too. "i need ta go wash up so go ahead and start."

"Ah, okay." You watch him leave and take a deep breath. Dinner won't be too bad, will it?

It actually wasn't too bad. The food was just about edible, and although a few members looked pissed off, everyone behaved. A couple of times, you caught Red giving you glances, and you started to feel self conscious: spaghetti is literally the worst kind of meal to eat in front of people, because it's so damn messy and you always get sauce on your face.  
However, you think you did a pretty good job of keeping yourself clean, and by the end you had zero glitter in your system-success!

But then came the dilemma of 'what to do with the human now that it's too dark for her to walk home'.

"i could drive her." Russ offers, and you exchange a sneaky wry smile with him

"OR I COULD. HAVE YOU SEEN MY CAR, (Y/N)?" Papyrus seems eager to show you, but you can't help but feel like you'd rather just stay here, as indicated by your long yawn, and longer sigh afterwards.

"STOP THIS BOASTING, PAPY, CAN'T YOU SEE OUR HUMAN IS TIRED?"

"ya need ta sleep, honey, ya look awful." Stretch rests his hand on your shoulder.

"Thanks." The sarcasm in your voice is weak, but he chuckles at it anyway.

"SHE MUST HAVE MY ROOM." Surprisingly, the owner of that harsh voice, yet such kind words, was Edge...or as he is known to himself 'Slim'. They weren't messing around when naming this guy; he's the scariest, skinniest thing you've ever seen...and yet he totally rocks those skinny dark jeans he has on. If skeletons had asses...  
Well, you suppose your jaw would have fallen off, and your eyes popped out like some sick cartoon, let's face it. Then again...maybe if you look properly...

No, no way are you going to study any of the asses of any of the skeletons here. Point blank.

Edge refuses to make eye contact with you, or anyone for that matter, when announcing his next words. "IT'S THE CLEANEST, AND I WON'T MIND SLEEPING SOMEWHERE ELSE. I'D RATHER NOT SHARE WALLS WITH THAT BASTARD." He gestures to Red, who growls. You wonder what went on between those two.

"I CLEANED MY ROOM THOROUGHLY THIS MORNING, THANK YOU!" Blue protests, and crosses his arms. Papyrus frowns similarly.

"AS HAVE I. (Y/N) IS TECHNICALLY MY GUEST, AND I WILL NOT STAND FOR HER DISADVANTAGE."

Black is just staring at you with those daunting berry-coloured eyes of his. They burn with an emotion you're not sure exists by name, and it pierces you with a mix of guilt and terror at the same time.  
Tearing your eyes away from his and allowing the blood to return to your face, you meekly interject.

"It's alright, I can sleep on the c-"

"YOU WILL HAVE MY ROOM." Edge glares at you very suddenly, sending chills down your spine. His lighted pupils are red like his brother's, but small and sharp and judgmental. He's really quite scary when you look at him more closely, despite having one heck of a good ass. "YOU KNOW WHICH ONE IT IS, DON'T YOU?" 

You mutter, "Well...no. I've never been upstairs properly before." 

He huffs.

"FINE. COME WITH ME." 

Edge leads you upstairs, and the boys stay silent, just sort of gawking at the random act of generosity that the most 'evil' member of the household just presented. Even Sans looks dumbfounded and his expression rarely changes from that lazy smile of his.  
The tall monster in front has your wrist in a tight grip in one hand. You take the time to get a good look at his tattoos, and they're strange because you're sure they've changed since you last saw them. Eventually, it feels like being held onto by a vice wound too tight, and yet you can tell by the little flinches in his strength, that he doesn't mean to hurt you. He isn't angry with you, but rather he doesn't know his own strength. Perhaps he wants you to tell him if he's being too rough? Maybe that's why he says nothing.  
Regardless, you cannot, no matter how hard you try, muster the courage to speak to him.

"HERE." He announces abruptly, and pulls you to his side. You've stopped at the end of the long corridor at a wooden door with an 'X' made of police tape over the front. "REMEMBER WHERE IT IS IN CASE YOU LEAVE AND BECOME LOST." Edge opens the door himself, and introduces you to his bedroom: a sleek looking small rectangular room, full of slick furniture that is at least 90 percent black, but there are red accents everywhere. His wardrobe and desk have a glossy sheen to them, and on his desk are various measuring tools, as well as a computer and a tape dispenser that looks like it could be used as a murder weapon. The weirdest thing is, he has a huge mirror covering the length of the wall his king sized bed is pushed against. It's split into three panels, and ends with a small black armchair and a couple of shelves stacked with books. It's like he wants to see himself sleep or something...and the mirror also faces the window on the opposite wall, although there are curtains. Is it a lighting thing?

"I THINK YOU'LL ENJOY A GOOD NIGHT'S REST, (Y/N)" He grumbles, and you look up with surprise. Even more of a shock comes to you when you see his face. He isn't looking at you, but he has softened his expression, and now no longer frowns. His pupils look less sharp too, like he's relaxed. Again, he speaks. "YOU...YOU ALWAYS LOOK SO TIRED." Edge looks down at you for a second, then back up, as if indecisive, and then crouches and holds your cheek in his hand, and gently smooths the space under your eye with his thumb. "DO AT LEAST TRY TO GET SOME SLEEP." 

Woah...is that...sincerity?! Holy shit!

"U-um..." Oh man, and your face is beginning to feel hot again. Your cheeks must be really red, you're sure. If Edge notices-  
His cheekbones have gone a little red too, and he quickly clears his throat and resumes his full and very daunting height. He places one hand on his hip and exhales slowly.

"WELL, I'LL LEAVE YOU TO IT THEN." He half-leaves before turning back. "BUT DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING. I WON'T BE SO ACCOMMODATING IF YOU SCREW UP MY STUFF!" Then finally, he goes, and you hear his weightless footfalls as he descends the staircase all the way at the other end of the hall.

At last, you can breathe, and gently close the door behind you. It makes a satisfying 'thunk' sound, and locks into place with that well-made feel you only get from nice new doors in nice new houses. Your doors at home are cheap bits of pine painted in white gloss...  
Enough of doors, you want to explore Edge's private space.  
Someone once told you, that if you can't see through someone's eyes, the doorway to their soul is also the doorway to their bedroom.  
At the time, you weren't quite sure whether that was a euphemism for something, but now you see what they mean. You're sure to find some clues about Edge in here, or perhaps the whole family in general.  
The room is clean and tidy, as promised, and it smells kind of like new books. As every new book has its own smell, however, you can only compare the scent to that sort of smell...it's like...something undiscovered and so young but so experienced. That's it, it smells of someone hiding something...the opening page of a first class novel, perhaps?

You snoop your way through the wardrobe, finding a nice looking black shirt that makes you wheeze when thinking about seeing Edge in it, along with a pair of leather jeans.  
Next is the desk, and you find nothing really of interest except a letter that's been opened.

You shouldn't read it...you really shouldn't and yet you don't resist any of the stages that lead up to you scouring the lines for signs of anything interesting to you.

The letter is from Frisk. Of course, she has lovely handwriting:

'Dearest Slim,

I welcome you to Ebott with open arms. I sincerely hope you and your brother are finding ease in adjusting to the vastness of city life, and we accept your appeal as discussed.  
As of today, June 20XX, your freedom is granted to the standard of every human in this city, however, we must confirm your terms of residence.  
>All monster residents are forbidden to use any kind of magic in public.  
>All monster residents must only use household magic in their own homes.  
>All monster residents are to be granted free accommodation until one or more residents acquires a registered profession.  
>All monster residents are prohibited from intimacies with humans.  
>All monster residents are not permitted in human holding facilities*.  
>All monster residents, if semi corporeal, are required to possess a physical form...'  
...

Frisk goes on and on about rules and regulations, and so far nothing really life changing has happened, except when you get to the end, Frisk has written something quite unorthodox:

'As a conclusive note; Slim, I'd like you to tell Sans something for me if you can. Tell him that I say 'yes'.'

Your breath catches, and suddenly your ears start ringing.  
She says 'yes'? What to? Did he ask her out? Are they going out now? Was it just a favor he asked of her? The rest of the letter indicates nothing more, and you huff and put it back. 

Edge's computer looks like a bit of fun to browse, but you're so tired you just want to sleep, so you draw the curtains and leave only the desk lamp on before deciding on whether to go downstairs and ask for some kind of toothbrush and pajamas, or to just collapse on the bed and sleep...

You go back downstairs, and find Black in the living room, so you turn on your heel and head to the kitchen to ask Papyrus for help. He seems outraged that Edge didn't provide you with any necessities, and that if you'd chosen his room, he would have given you everything you needed already. 

Smiling, you allow Papyrus to fetch a spare toothbrush from the cupboard in the bathroom, and collect an over-sized tee shirt and shorts from his drawer before giving you the bundle. He looks happy to be generous, and admits that he's never had a sleepover like this before. He proclaims that he the 'Great Papyrus', will prepare the most delectable breakfast you've ever experienced, and you assure him that you're fully convinced before saying goodnight to him and then hunting down the rest of the household. You find Sans, Red and Stretch in the hallway downstairs, and they all beam and wave goodnight which fills you with affection before you tackle the problem of Black.

"U-um...goodnight, Black." You cringe at how weak your voice sounds, but for some reason you carry on talking. "I'm sorry for...for being selfish, Black, I am." Oh god, just run. Run, find Blue, and go to bed. "I hope we can be friends again soon."

It's safe to say you may have broken the record for the fastest ascension of stairs in the world running away from Black like that. When you finally reach Edge's room again, you're out of breath and it's just lucky that Blue emerges from the bathroom then so that you can wish him goodnight without having to go on another hunt.

Blue throws himself upon you in a boisterous hug, and he's all warm and kind of strangely squishy, and so you find it comfortable hugging him. He grips you tightly, and when you wiggle free his cheeks turn the colour the sky does in summer. 

"I-I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE STAYING OVER, (Y/N). IT MEANS A LOT TO US." 

"It does? I feel like a pain..."

Blue puffs out his chest and frowns, as if what you just said was offensive to him.  
"ABSOLUTELY THE OPPOSITE! DON'T FEEL SO BAD ABOUT YOURSELF, STAY POSITIVE LIKE ME AND YOU'LL ALWAYS BE HAPPY!"

"That's true, Blue." He makes you smile, it's a nice feeling. "You're very sweet."

He grins wider, and chuckles like a nervous, blushing schoolboy.

"THANKS, (Y/N). HAVE A GOOD REST." 

"You too, Blue."

After brushing your teeth and being afraid of being walked in on, you returned to Edge's gloomy bedroom. By now, it feels cosy and comfortable despite all the black furniture and morbid collections of literature. The light is warm, and the bed is well made as though you were in a hotel.  
It feels good to slip your feet under the covers, and revel in the coldness of the bed sheets before they start to warm up around you, sealing you in a doomed partnership of sleepiness and comfort.

Tomorrow will be a good day, as today has been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much again for reading this! My update schedule is totally out of whack and I'm not producing anything fun to read over here I am so sorry.
> 
> Next time morning comes, and you're in for a big surprise. ;3
> 
> If you like the story and want more, don't forget to be a dear and drop a kudos or something. Thank you again!


	11. Ice Cream In Winter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blue takes you outside to an unconventional location for a bit of R and R, which is a little strange for a boy like him.

"Mmh..." Eyes open, but not entirely awake, you immediately panic as it appears you aren't at home like you thought you'd be. For some reason, you try and recall meeting someone and going home with them. Yesterday you came home from your parents' and...

Oh yeah. It's okay.  
You flip onto your back, and stare at the blank ceiling for a minute. It normally takes you a while to wake up, but you slept so well last night that you feel good and don't want to just go back to sleep like you usually do. For now, though, you're so comfortable and warm that you don't want to get out of bed- which you remember belongs to Edge.  
The lack of awkward dreams pleases you, because at least today has begun well. You remember that Edge keeps an alarm clock by his bed on one side, and you decide to check it by turning over.  
However, instead of turning to face a clock face or even a table, you are greeted by the most mortifying thing...

Edge is in the bed with you.

All the hairs on your body stand on end as you draw a breath that turns colder the longer you hold it. What the actual hell was he doing in bed with you?! Surely you didn't...  
No, you would have remembered if anything happened but...  
Didn't he say he would sleep somewhere else? Did he lie? Did he forget?

The snoring beast of a man lying beside you is just inches away, but he's not facing you. Judging by his breathing, he's still asleep, and you have no idea what he's wearing. He could be wearing nothing for all you can see. Actually, if you squint in the gloom you can make out a tank top, but that's not much better if he isn't wearing anything else.  
Whilst thinking of what to do, you become distracted. The prominent spurs on his vertebrae just show on the back of his neck before disappearing under his top, and for a while they're fascinating to look at. The whole form of these monsters is detailed and precise and...quite frankly beautiful, even if they happen to be a complete asshole like Edge.

You're not sure what to do, frozen in place. If you wake him up will he be angry? Most likely, yes. You almost don't want to move, in case he awakes like some kind of pissed off snake from hell. Each time he exhales, the air rattles in his chest, forming a menacing growl with each breath. It's like laying next to a real monster like the ones in a book.  
The longer you wait, the more you feel terrified of the minute he wakes up and sees you beside him in bed.

Oh god...oh god...

And then everything goes silent. The rattling breaths stop, and your eyes grow wide and afraid as the total silence begins to numb your head. What's happening?

"MNG...GAHHHH..." Edge groans and shifts onto his back, covering his eyes and you see his bright white fangs peel into a grimace. You quickly close your eyes and pretend to be sleeping, and wait for the storm.

However, you hear the sheets rasp as he slides out of bed, and his surprisingly light footsteps as he gets changed and then the pause he takes after, which you assume it's because he's finally noticed you. 

Does he curse under his breath? Your pulse is raised so high you can't really hear, but the lights flick on, and you flinch. Beyond the red screen of your eyelids, you sense him draw nearer, and then the bed compresses very gently. Cold, yet caring fingertips brush the strands of your hair out of your eyes. He waits for a minute, just watching, and then he gets up, turns the light off and the door softly shuts behind him. 

Getting up, you first check your phone and give yourself a moment to calm down. You weren't expecting him to be kind, and instead that only made things stranger. No messages today, but a few work emails have come through in the last couple of days. You sigh and decide to open them later when you feel less...shall we say...disturbed.

You redress into the clothes you wore yesterday, and put your new jumper on. Someone has taken the liberty of putting all of your bags in the room, presumably whilst you slept. Was it Edge? He wouldn't do a thing like that would he?  
At least, not as you knew him twelve hours ago.

At breakfast, no one is around except Blue, who tells you Papyrus went out to go shopping, so he runs the house seeing as everyone else is asleep.

"Thanks, Blue." You smile and trail your fingers casually along the kitchen island while you wait for him to finish cooking pancakes for breakfast. The room smells lovely, like hot butter and whatever that kind of 'hotel breakfast' smell is. Blue is focusing hard on cooking and getting everything absolutely right, and so he's slaving over the stove with not so much as a glance back at you, little cerulean gel-tongue poking out of his mouth in concentration. "What about Edge? Where did he go?"

"I'M AFRAID EVEN THE BEDAZZLING BLUE CANNOT ANSWER THAT ONE, (Y/N)." The skeleton flips a pancake whilst striking a confident pose and resumes. "I WOULD ASSUME HE IS DESPERATELY BROODING OVER DARKENING CIRCUMSTANCES IN HIS OFFICE."

"He has an office?"

"INDEED! HE HATES THE NOISE OF THE LAB AND THE GAMES ROOM, SO HE WORKS IN THE ATTIC."

"What does he do?"

Blue takes a moment, and without you seeing he bites his lower lip and grits his teeth. You're asking so many questions about Edge and not him...he wonders if he made a mistake letting Edge's favor last night slide. "WELL, HE WRITES THINGS..." 

"Oh yeah?" You find a bunch of sticky notes all over the fridge written on in various handwriting and read through them with a growing smirk on your face. "What kind of 'things'?"

This is his chance. He's tempted to put you off with lies. Blue wants to so badly, but he remembers that nice boys don't lie, that's what people like Edge and Red do, and the nice guy always gets what he wants. Pulling a more assured face, Blue stares into his sizzling pancake and dishes it onto the plate before spooning another into the pan along with more butter. "HE WRITES ROMANCES...AND CRIME NOVELS."

"That's pretty cool for a guy with no chill." You watch Blue work out whether he should laugh or disapprove because you only unleashed a half-pun. Since hanging with these skeletons, puns go a long way with the comedy trio; Sans, Stretch and Red, and the rest absolutely despise them. It's always a laugh in video calls because you can see them playfully beating each other up on camera, but it's normally distorted and badly rendered so the noise is mostly the funny thing.

"I'LL ADMIT THAT WAS PRETTY CLEVER...HUMAN." Blue grins and turns around to face you, in his hands is a large plate piled up with only slightly overdone looking pancakes. Plus, no glitter! Result.

"Gee, Blue, those look good." Your words make the poor boy blush and he stumbles to find words.

"EHEH...TH-THANK YOU..." he puts the plate down in front of you on the island with a certain aura of pride. You pick up the top one and take a small bit out of it. It's hot and tastes actually pretty good. He's overcooked them slightly, so the surface is kind of crispy, but that's what makes it nice. Honestly, you're just so glad he hasn't covered them in glitter that you would have eaten them if they are blackened and like biscuits. The glitter thing has definately left some kind of scar in your mind. Those little sharp sgards of plastic stuck between your teeth...cutting up your gums and irritating your throat for days after...you shudder and take another grateful bite of your pancake.

"It's really good!" You mumble and Blue seems to swell with satisfaction. 

"GREAT! I TRIED REALLY HARD. DO YOU THINK SYRUP WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA?" 

"Yes!" You give him a gentle 'bro' punch on the chest and he almost vibrates with excitement. 

"OKAYOKAYOKAY...UM..." He jumps around the kitchen, checking cupboards and pulling out ingredients. He spoons butter onto the stack of pancakes and then drowns the whole thing in maple syrup. The bottle was about three quarters full and he emptied it. 

"THERE!" Blue announces. "WHAT ABOUT THIS?"

"Looks heckin' AWESOME Blue!" You're proud of the lack of swearing. "Let's eat them together, where do you keep your plates?"

Before Blue can answer, a groggy, husky voice comes from behind you. 

"Top left. Mornin' bro, (y/n)." Stretch waltzes into the kitchen and stands beside you. His idea of pajamas consists of a grey tee shirt and the same sweatpants he wears everyday. He leans on the counter, and you notice be has prominent purplish lines under his eyes that make him look tired.  
Probably without much thought put into it, Stretch grabs the top pancake, and all the butter and syrup slips off onto the one below, and drizzles in a line all the way along the counter and over his shirt until he crams the whole thing in his mouth. His expression doesn't change at all,and he just swallows it nonchalantly. 

"I've been betrayed." He says plainly.

"What?" Your laughter explodes out with your words, making him smile slightly. 

"I thought that was honey. But it was syrup."

"What's wrong with syrup?" You feign offence. "And why the heck is honey so important to you? You're always drinking it, is it like an addiction?"

Stretch shakes his head and sucks his fingers clean whilst gazing at the cupboards.  
"Not an addiction, honey, an obsession." You raise an eyebrow. He continues. "I basically was raised by honey...it's so great...I can't explain..."

"WHY COULDN'T YOU HAVE BECOME ADDICTED TO SOMETHING NORMAL, P-BROTHER?" Blue hurriedly cleans up the mess and plants his hands on his hips. "YOU'RE SO EMBARRASSING."

Stretch pulls an amused expression, and shrugs.

"What can i say? honey really is just the BEES KNEES."

Blue turns kind of purple, and frowns.

"YOU'LL MAKE ME USE BAD WORDS, PAPY, AND THEN WE'LL BOTH BE SORRY!"

"i don't BEE-leve you'd ever do that, li'l bro." Stretch is trying not to laugh, and alternatively Blue is trying not to explode. He stamps his foot and makes violent gesticulations with his hands. 

"SHUT UP! YOU'RE SUCH A...SUCH A...CRAP BROTHER, PAPY! THERE, I SAID IT!" Blue is flushing furiously, and he folds his arms and turns to face away, puffing his chest up like an angry frog.  
...a really darn cute frog.

You feel so sorry for Blue, being wound up on purpose, and you skirt around the island to give him a hug. 

"Hey, ignore the mean orange boy." You turn and poke your tongue out at Stretch, who raises his brows. "He's just trying to wind you up. Come on, wanna eat?"  
Blue nods, and you enjoy breakfast as a trio. Stretch refrains from any more puns, and is actually quite serious about everything. Blue is bubbly and chatty, and eats most of the pancakes between sentences.  
Although you're confused. Blue called Stretch 'Papy', and not 'Stretch', and you wonder if he mistook him for Papyrus. But how could Blue forget his brother's name? Unless Blue, Papyrus, Sans and Stretch were all related, and then maybe it would be more forgivable to mix up any names. That's twice now you've seen a glitch in the naming system here...this troubles you.

"(Y/N)! I WANTED TO SEE WHAT YOU GOT FOR US YESTERDAY..." Blue pouts and you laugh. 

"I'm saving it for today when everyone's in one place." Explaining to Blue is actually really difficult, because he doesn't seem to change his mind about wanting to see what you brought. You suppose it would have been awkward trying to herd all the skeletons into one room and then anticlimactic to unveil your gift to them, so you give in almost as soon as he starts pleading.

The pair follow you like a couple of sheep into the living room, and you ask Stretch to take the box on top of the bookshelf down for you. When he stretches to reach, his tee shirt lifts a little, and once again skeleton monster biology throws another surprise at you.  
Instead of iliacs and the base of his vertebrae, you catch a glimpse of something the colour of tangerines instead. It was probably like an undershirt, but Stretch doesn't strike you as the kind of guy to bother with multiple layers. 

"mmn-ah, here you go, honey. is this the one you wanted?"

"Yeah, haha, that's the one alright." You take the box and kneel on the carpet to open it up. Blue kneels too, and leans over to see what's inside so eagerly that you touch heads. It's amazing how smooth his skull is, and the softened 'clunk' of you two connecting reminds you of how these monsters are so similar to humans..and it's kind of reassuring...it gives you butterflies. 

"OH STARS..." Blue's tropical coloured eyes expand to almost fill his sockets, morphing into perfect star shapes. "(Y/N)...IS THIS WHAT I THINK IT IS?"

"let's take a look." Stretch crouches by your side and he genuinely looks impressed. He fully opens his eyes which, for Stretch, is reaction enough. "damn, honey. where'd you find this?" He gently lifts the record player out of the box, and something weird happens.  
You're sure it was purple the last time you saw it...but now that Stretch is holding it, it's a yellowish orange colour and swirling with the different shades as if awakened by his touch. He doesn't seem at all bothered by this.

"it's so beautiful, (y/n)." Stretch's eyes are full of excitement as he looks at you, and Blue tries to grab the box to get a better look.  
As soon as Blue touches the other half, the box swirls with turquoise, and you all gasp in unison.

"GEE..." Blue breathes, taking the player into his lap. Papyrus had said it was magic based in the store, and it's way better than you'd ever imagined it to be. You're glad it's received well, and want to see all the colours it goes with each skeleton that touches it...it's kind of satisfying.

"it's very gee." Stretch wraps his arm around you, and your back feels all tingly. "mm honey, these things are so cool, we've wanted one for ages but this one...I've never seen anything like it...hey do you like music?"

"Hm?" You weren't really listening and the question surprised you. His arm is gripping you tightly and his chest is so close to you...he's warm and smells like sweet smoke...

"do ya like music? sorry, s'just the record player reminded me."

"Y-yeah! Yeah I love music...all kinds." He smiles at that. 

"ya know, all of us play something here. we had a lot of spare time underground. wanna hear something later?" 

Being played sweet music to by a family of arguably attractive skeleton boys? Count yourself in!

"Yeah! Oh my god that'd be..."

Stretch can see something in your eyes. He knows something maybe? He looks into them unreadably, and something just forces you to hug him.

"That'd be great, thanks."

"aww, look at you, our little pet human." Stretch feels his chest swell with something that makes him short of breath. He squeezes your body in a friendly manner. "i'll alert the boys that we'll have a special audience tonight."

"Hee, thanks, Stretch." You close your eyes. His breaths are so relaxed and he's got a nice wide chest to hold...you hum softly and rest your head on his shoulder. 

"U-UM, (Y/N)?" You look up at Blue, and feel like you've been neglecting him. "I WANTED TO GO OUT WITH YOU TODAY."

"What?" The surprise affects both you and Stretch.

"YES! GO OUT, MAYBE SHOW YOU MY MOTORCYCLE...THE BEACH ISN'T FAR FROM HERE." He seizes your nearest hand and sandwiches it between his. "PLEASE."

"Yeah! Yeah of course I will. Just us two?" You detach from Stretch for the moment, and recompose yourself. A day out with Blue would be great fun, and you'd like to spend some time outside seeing as most of the time you stay huddled up in your apartment. "But the beach, though?"

"IT'S A GREAT PLACE, (Y/N)! BUT WE CAN GO ANYWHERE ELSE IF YOU'D LIKE." It's the last thing on your agenda to disappoint Blue, but you're afraid of going to the beach...to tell the truth.

You haven't been down to Ebott sands in ages...or as you used to call it as kids: just 'the sands'. It's a lovely beach; stretching out miles and miles of fine white sand and the water is always a nice colour, but since getting older and spending more time on work and eating junk most days, you're not exactly beach ready. The thought of yourself in one of those sexy swim outfits you see on magazines makes you feel like someone's pouring cold water down your back. It wouldn't look good, you're sure.

"I'm...a little nervous about the beach, Blue...that's all." You explain to him briefly about your insecurities, and his expression becomes more determined.

"BUT (Y/N)! IT WILL DO YOU GOOD TO STAND UP TO YOUR FEARS. ISN'T THAT RIGHT, BROTHER?"

"i guess. if she doesn't wanna go, blue, don't push her."

Blue looks disgruntled. He was perhaps hoping for a different answer.

"HUMAN, PLEASE, I KNOW HOW YOUR COMMUNITIES SOMETIMES BEHAVE, BUT IF ANYTHING GOES WRONG, I'LL PROTECT YOU!" He stands up, and the light streaming in from the window illuminates his frame in celestial light and glittering dust. His outstretched hand is so heroic and so tempting...your insecurity is no match for this boisterous bundle of optimism and hope. Blue is like some kind of band-aid for this kind of thing, you see that now. His determination and perseverance makes him ultimately dedicated, caring and protective...he just is a little energetic that's all.

You sigh, and poke the carpet thoughtfully.   
"Okay...just...I can back out at any point, right?"

"want me ta come too, (y/n)?" Stretch offers himself up, and you're about to reply but Blue interjects with an accusing finger.

"NO, BROTHER. (Y/N) DOES NOT NEED YOU FATHERING HER LIKE YOU FATHER ME." his hand is still held out to you, but the other like a barrier stopping Stretch from interfering. You can see the conflict here, and take Blue's hand, standing up.

"Okay. Let's go."

Blue holds your hand tightly all the way out to the garage, where there are three very nice looking cars: one is Black's, the one Russ had driven to save you that time before Christmas. Another is a similar style but well and truly blackest black, and slightly metallic too. This one has more defined planes and sharper edges...much like it's obvious owner. The last is bright red and the sportiest of the lot, sparklingly clean and with several police badges pinned to the dash. It's an open top car, and it's kind of retro with it's white leather seats and driving gloves on the front seat. This must be Papyrus' car.

Blue owns a moped, one that's well polished and has clearly never been crashed. There's not a scrape on it, and the white and turqoise paintwork is a perfect representation of Blue himself. The skeleton pulls navy leather gloves over his hands, wriggling his fingers through the holes and flexing then after. He looks different doing this: before, Blue was like a little boy, and now that he's on his own with you he's become an adult with experience and wisdom...his face is more serious and casual, and he looks actually a lot more like Sans does.  
He tugs a sunshine coloured hoodie over his head, and picks up two of the helmets from a shelf of maintenance junk on the backwall. He offers a red one to you, and you feel kind of stupid putting it on.

"I'm not feeling harder, better, faster or stronger in this, Blue." You snicker at your own reference, assuming he won't understand.  
Slipping his navy helmet on, Blue replies,

"BUT IT'LL HELP YOU GET LUCKY IF WE HAVE AN ACCIDENT." And for a moment there, neither of you can describe the feeling that ensues.  
Blue coughs back his laughter, which sets you off, and then he joins in. You've never heard Blue's real laugh before. It's surprisingly normal and lower pitched than the triumphant cackle he sometimes retaliates with. Is his childish persona just a facade to the others? Like self defense?

"COME ON, I WANNA GET THERE BEFORE THEY SELL OUT OF BLUEBERRY ICE CREAM!"

Or maybe he's just like this.  
"They have that?" 

"THEY HAVE EVERYTHING!" Blue swings his leg over the seat, and guides the motorcycle out onto the path with his foot before patting the space behind him.

Reluctantly, you shift on board, and awkwardly spoon Blue and grip his waist for stability.  
"Sorry..."

Blue says nothing, kickstarting the bike. It purrs to life, and you glide out onto the road.

Before now, motorcycles were the epitome of vehicles that welcomed death in your opinion. Your parents used to scorn the boys who rode them in school, and naturally you agreed.  
But right at this moment, even though your heart is beating at the equivalent of the rpm of the, and you're refusing to look up and unfurl your head from being tucked under Blue's hood, you feel more alive than ever.

Blue is strong, you can feel that through his clothes by his shape and the way his waist adjusts to move the bike as though he were a part of it. It feels like muscle but you know it can't be. Blue is careful on the road, and he's trying extra hard just for you. He's so tense...

"OPEN YOU EYES, (Y/N)!" He yells. "YOU'RE MISSING SO MUCH!"

"I'M SCARED!" To make a point, your arms grip the boy's waist harder.

"YOU'RE WITH ME! TRUST ME!" Blue stops holding the handles of the bike for a flashing second, focus burning in his eyes, and grabs your hands which clasp each other until the knuckles turn white below his ribs like a belt, tugging your arms out and sealing your fists to the handlebars under his own. His palms are bigger than yours, and the gloves are icy against your skin.

"BLUE!" You yell and force yourself to lift your head and open your eyes. He starts shouting but you can't hear him- distracted by the wonderful view. You're driving over a bridge, the winding river below meeting the sea in cascades of white foam, and you can see kids in coloured shirts playing around in the low tide. It looks so far down, but the rails are high, and Blue has perfect control of the bike...so you relax a little bit, and in exchange so does Blue.

"SEE? WE'LL BE DOWN THERE IN A MINUTE!"

He's right, after a couple of bumpy detours down side roads between the restaurants and beach themed tourist stores, the cobbled streets open up into a boardwalk, and Blue slows down the bike and parks it in a secretive little spot that he obviously frequently uses. It's like a miniature garage in the wall of someone's house,  and he tugs the door down over the space after helping you dismount, and locks it with a key in his pocket.  
He breathes out and his breath hangs in the air. He looks back to you brightly. 

"I KNEW YOU'D FIND IT FUN EVENTUALLY." He grabs your hand, "COME ON, EVER BEEN TO THE BEACH IN WINTER BEFORE?"

That's a fair point, it is only just the end of December after all and you're at the beach?! It is sunny today, though, and pretty warm. It's that kind of bright white sun that's hot when you stand in the patches, but the shade is like stepping into a freezer.

"Wait...you're gonna get ice cream in winter? They won't sell it!"

Blue starts laughing.  
"HA! JUST YOU WAIT, NON-BELIEVER." And he drags you out of the lot and onto the boardwalk, where you're suddenly in view of the world it seems. There aren't many people out today, but it feels like everyone is watching.

First he takes you along the boards, barely allowing you to admire any of it. You try at least to get him to slow down, but Blue appears to be on a mission to get you somewhere.

"Blue, where are we going?" He takes you down a passage which opens into a courtyard with a river running by it under a bridge. You go up the bridge, and wonder where on Ebbot he's taking you. The sands is a weird place and full of random touristy hotspots, but honestly you didn't know this area existed.

"So...Blue?"

"SHUSH, (Y/N). I WON'T BE TEMPTED INTO RUINING THE SURPRISE!" 

"Okay."  
Your hand is sweaty and you're nervous. You don't want to be all clammy and gross. Humans are disgusting things.

You encounter a stone wall, and a pale wooden door made of driftwood that didn't quite fit the hole. The handle was rusty like all the metal around here from the salt in the air...but you were certain you were far from the sea...

"PARDON THIS." Blue turned to you and pulled a bandanna from his pocket, one the colour of forget-me-nots, and tied it over your eyes.

"Hey! Dude..." Blue shushes you, and in the blackness your senses enlighten. You can smell salt and hear gulls, the soft lapping of water on a shore and the sound dry seaweed makes when being blown about the sand. The door creaks open and a cool wind catches your hair.

Blue's gloved hand grasps yours, and he carefully leads you out. Your shoes compress grains under your feet, and sun hits your face. You stop.

"YOU CAN LOOK NOW, (Y/N)." Blue is nervous you can tell, and when you peel off the bandanna the light glares in your eyes and the image of a beach floods into view. It's small, flat, and entirely deserted. It seems to be a private beach, and the stone wall behind actually is part of someone's house...or maybe shed?  
The water glitters and the place is litteted with shells and sun bleached sticks. The horizon is unspoiled and a small boat bobs in the waves, tied to the end of a makeshift dock. It's beautiful...in it's own special way.

"Blue...I..." 

"DO YOU LIKE IT?" His eyes are aglow with anticipation.

"Of course! God, it's so serene..." you look around again. It's like a secret hideout like something out of a storybook. "Are we even allowed here? It looks private."

"WE ARE! SOME FRIENDS OF OURS OWN IT."

"Oh, okay." You crouch to pick up a pink shell from the floor, and Blue runs to another door in the west wall by the dock.

"HEY! WANNA GET ICE CREAM?"

You can't believe it, but behind that second door is the main beach.  
It felt like you'd been dragged into another country, not around in a circle. Blue explains how the door is one-way, but now that he's picked up the keys on the first entrance he can get you back in using the shortcut door. It's all stupidly complex and your feet hurt, but what the heck.

You buy ice cream together, and Blue pays for yours with no hesitation. You always feel so guilty using these kind skeletons' money.  
Blue buys his fabled blueberry flavour, and you choose maple and pecan, which smells almost as amazing as it tastes. 

"In winter," the vendor says, handing Blue his change. "People want snow, so why not give it to them?" He's a tall rabbit-like monster, with greyish blue fur and long ears. He has a happy face, and the stall is named 'Nice Cream'. You think it's a little weak, but Blue changes your mind by showing you the message branded on your cone.

It says: 'Your new year will be the best in a long while!'

"Huh." You take a long lick of your ice cream, and miss Blue staring. "That's nice."

"E-EXACTLY. THANK YOU, SIR!" Blue waves to the vendor and links arms with you to escort you back to the door. Whilst he unlocks it you scan the beach again, and a familiar figure catches your eye.  
"HEY! Look Blue, is that Papyrus? HEEEY!" You yell at the person standing in the distance, who seems very confused and before you know it Blue has yanked you through the door and locked it behind you.

"Mmmm...this is really special." you sigh and clumsily get down on the flor facing the ocean. The ice cream in your hand is cold but lovely. There's something really...unique about this moment. Blue asserts himself beside you, and starts crunching on his cone.

For a minute, you both bask in the midday sun and appreciate the peace. The sound of water has always been a comforting one, and when you shut your eyes the alien feeling of being at ease blooms in your chest. It feels like...like you're sitting somewhere you were destined to sit in a great point in your life.

"Blue?" You ask, sensing the chill of melted ice cream touching your hand.

"YAH?" The boy turns to you and his eyes are full of innocence. His chest looks nice and huggable in that hoodie, and his legs are in good form...as though they were toned through laborious exercise.  
You blush discreetly and avert your eyes back to the sea.

"Is this a date?"

Blue chokes and splutters.  
"A DATE?!" Inside he's panicking, like his disguise has been breached, but outside he keeps it cool: a skill he learned from his brother. "NOT TO OFFEND YOU, HUMAN, BUT YOU MUST BE FORGETTING I AM A MONSTER."

Your blush now intensifies. Oh jeez...they really couldn't fancy you back because you're a different species? All that flirting was just...just play? You feel a right idiot.

"Oh, god, Blue I'm sorry."

"NO NO! IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE WHY YOU MUST LIKE ME SO MUCH...AND I'M FLATTERED, REALLY I AM...BUT THIS IS NOT A DATE." The words are what you wanted to hear...but in your stomach a slight feeling of disappointment settles. "IF IT WAS, I WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU."

Red in the face, you apologise again and turn your face away. You're such an idiot...

"THAT BEING SAID...LET NO ONE EVER SAY THAT THE BRILLIANT BLUE NEVER KNEW HOW TO TREAT A LADY, SO..." He paused and held his arms out to you as you turned. "I WILL HOLD YOU...IF YOU'D LIKE."

"What?" How weird...but okay. He's such a sweet boy: calling you a 'lady' and offering so chivalrously. "Alright." 

So you sit between his legs on the sand, held in his capable arms and snuggled up to his chest. He's so warm and he's comfy and a good shape to be held by.

"Mmm~" You finish your ice cream like that, and Blue starts talking to you softly.

"(Y/N)?"

"Yeah?"

"DO YOU EVER WONDER WHAT YOUR PURPOSE IS?"

That's a deep question coming from Blue. You rest your head against his chest and sigh.

"All the time."  
Now that you know the monsters cannot feel anything romantic for a human, cuddling like this feels casual and chilled out. It's nice to be free of nerves.

"MM. DO YOU KNOW WHAT MY PURPOSE IS? I HEARD HUMANS ARE GOOD AT PHILOSOPHY."

"Mmmwell...let's see." You like the way you move with each rise and fall of his chest as he breathes, and once you start talking you notice his breathing getting calmer. "You're a brother. Brothers protect and defend...they're caring and outgoing and strong." Blue's smile is almost audible. "You're a friend too, a friend to many. You have to be there for your friends when they need you, which means your active and alert...a brother to all and a brother in arms. You live in a house full of other guys, which must be hard, and it shows how you're part of a team. A team player perseveres, is loyal and understanding. You're honest and you cooperate...it sounds actually really accurate now that I think about it." The skeleton holds you tighter with every word of praise. He just needs reassurance, the poor boy. "All this means you're a lover, Blue. You must have such a good heart...not a bad bone in your body, if you will pardon the expression." 

He grumbles, but nuzzles his skull against your head. 

"THANK YOU, (Y/N)...YOU'RE SO KIND."

"Eh, it's a thing."

"NO, REALLY!" Blue rests his chin on your shoulder and his voice buzzes through you. "I LIKE YOU, HUMAN. YOU'RE VERY VALUABLE TO MY FAMILY. OBVIOUSLY YOU MUST KNOW THAT BUT..."

"I am? I thought I was just a pain in the skele-butt." You twiddle a piece of your hair absently and Blue groans.

"(Y/N)...WHY ARE YOU SO...NEVER MIND. I CAN HONESTLY TELL YOU FROM MY HONEST HEART AND FRIENDLY SOUL THAT YOU ARE VERY MUCH NEITHER A PAIN NOR A LIABILITY. TO US, YOU ARE UNIQUE. YOU'RE OUR FRIEND AND OUR ANGEL...AND WE LOVE YOU LIKE...LIKE A FAMILY WOULD." He takes a breath and his shimmering blue eyes gaze out to the yellowing horizon. "EACH OF US TELLS STORIES OF YOU...AND WE TRY TO FIGURE YOU OUT WITH THOSE PUZZLE PIECES. WE HAVEN'T GOT A LOT OF THE PIECES YET." He admits this so freely that...well you don't know. Your heart is beating and your face is red again. "SO...MAYBE SOON...YOU'LL LET US SEE THE PICTURE AT THE END?" 

You clasp your hands and smile, cuddling up to him further. You're determined to be more for Blue, and for his family. They sound honest and genuinely interested in you...so you have to at least try to cooperate. You know socialising isn't quite your forté, but this is a chance to improve: to grow as a person. 

"Okay, Blue." you mumble into his hoodie.

Yeah...you can do this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU OODLES AND OODLES FOR THE SUPPORT!  
> I'm loving writing for all of you and even though only a handful of kind people read this, I am so grateful for all of your input! 
> 
> Next time, a serenade and a preposition.
> 
> (edits: Spellchecker)


	12. Serenade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (You might have noticed how the last chapter was a rip-off, and so is this time, but I love the scenes too much to not have a version of them so here's number 12!)
> 
> Bonus points if you can guess the song, and sorry if any of the music I use is against your tastes, it's not my kind of music either lol, just imagine the remix the boys play is to your ideals instead hahah.
> 
> After a sweet day out, Blue takes you back to an odd way to end the day.

OrangeBoy  
18:35

-hey   
-u eaten yet?

You have a mouthful of noodles from the pot in your hand, and spill some of the steamy broth on your jeans in your haste to grab the phone. Blue is getting his bike out of the garage he hid it in. You're wearing his hoodie because you got cold walking back, and you bought noodle cups together. Blue drank his like a coffee rather than ate it like noodles long ago, which was amazing because once you'd found a random picnic bench outside a closed cafe, he wouldn't shut up.  
You don't mind how talkative he is, because everything he says is interesting. He told you about his life underground, and how he used to protect the people from danger. He's so cute.

You  
18:36

-Stretch!  
-I'm having dinner right now.  
-wbu?

-that's good. glad blue is takin care of u.  
-so, honey, what kind of music is your thing?

-all kinds.  
-I love music! Just...maybe not classical music too much.

-not the quiet type, huh?  
-i like that. looks like ya got a secret spark in there somewhere, hm?

-Eh, maybe?

-we'll get that spark out soon, honey hehe  
-hey, i gotta go

-me too, we'll be back soon!

-can't wait.

You bite your lip and can't resist the grin. So he thinks you have a spark, huh? Maybe you do...but you're way too self conscious to do anything 'yourself'-ish.  
Stretch feels like someone who likes you, and who is definitely one of the flirty ones. You can't tell if it's games or not, and you decide that even if it is, you should just enjoy yourself. 

It's dark, so when Blue isn't looking you lightly press your lips to the phone screen.

No one saw that.

"(Y/N)! LET'S GO." You stick your thumb up and hurry to the bike. Blue puts the helmet on for you, and his knuckles graze your chin as he clips it. "YOU JUST HAVE TO GET ON THE BIKE ONE MORE TIME." Your smile grows until it hurts, and you nod.

The ride home is even more beautiful in the evening than in the day: the sky is inky blue and the stars are coming out. There's not a single cloud, but the air is bitingly cold and you worry for poor blue just in a tee shirt. You'd had the 'But you'll get cold!' argument earlier.  
The lights of the beach houses and restaurants glitter among the steely ocean blues and blackened sky. There's a bunch of neon signs on the boardwalk where you just were, all flashing and dancing like something out of a Tron movie. 

The sea is haloed in white moonlight, and you can see the private beach where you and blue cuddled all day, maybe even if you squint you can see the dents in the sand from your bodies.

You hum a content sigh, and nuzzle your helmet into Blue's back. He smiles to himself, and one hand moves to touch those which clutch tightly against his stomach.

Pulling into the garage back at the skeleton house really freaks you out. It's like a dream or something: An explosion of happiness erupts in your chest, and you wheeze a tiny scream and grip your driver harder around his waist. You're in love...in love with this house at least. It holds such happy memories and your heart is pounding because even though you've had a thoroughly fulfilling and enjoyable day, the fun isn't going to end yet.  
Stretch said he would play something for you with 'the boys', whch you guess is a few of the other skeletons too. What song will they play? What instruments do they use? Who sings, who drums, who plays guitar?!  
What if they're like...super bad?

No, you have faith. This evening is going to be...albeit a little embarrassing for probably all of you but...Stretch said something about a spark, and Blue said he wanted to see your true self secondarily too...

You take a deep breath, dismount and de-helmet, and Blue holds your hand as you walk through the darkness up the path and open the front door.

Music. There's music playing! It's steady, rhythmic and the drum masks a male singer's voice, and the gentle strums and riffs of guitars playing in duality. The noise buzzes through the floor from upstairs, and you swallow. The song is familiar maybe? You can't tell just yet what it is, and you think maybe it's slowed down a bit. 

"WHAT'S THIS?" Blue panics and blushes. "THEY'RE GONNA WAKE SOMEONE!" 

"It's fine, Blue. Let's go have a look." It's your turn to drag Blue somewhere, and every step brings the music and the alluring song closer.  
The voice smoothly sings over the music: "look at her, look at her oh..."  

You don't want to miss the song, you're so close to remembering what it is. You're in a flustered panic, grinning like and idiot and looking around for wherever this sound is coming from.

"THE GAMES ROOM! IN HERE..." Blue takes you down a corridor that's only accessible from the balcony, and you both run, and stumble into the open doors of a room with a wooden floor. It smells new and like fresh paint, and the music is definitely in here. In the corner there's a small stage full of instruments, and a bunch of colored beanbags as seats in front. Sans is chilling in one, you notice, but mostly you notice the loud and exciting sound coming from the stage. There's Russ acing the hell out of his drum kit, chucking a couple of lyrics into his mic every now and again. It's a well used kit, but shiny and sounds great anyway. Red and Papyrus stand next to each other, Red playing a black bass guitar and Papyrus avidly playing a beautiful harmony on a shockingly red electric guitar. The amps enhance the sound, and the room is great for acoustics- possibly built like that on purpose. Their tune is solid and perfect, and now you know the song, because in the middle of the players is Stretch, singing like the smooth DJ angel he is. His eyes find you and he starts smirking, beckoning you in. He takes the mic stand in one hand to angle the microphone closer to his lips, so he can sing the chorus better.

"if you want me take me home and let me use you  
i know he doesn't satisfy you like i do  
and does she know that there's nobody quite like you..."

You sit down, blushing like mad and watching with your breath caught in your mouth.

All this for you? Oh wow...  
And they're so good! They look great playing...and the voices...

"i got these feelings for you~  
and i can't help myself no more  
can't fight these feelings for you~  
no i can't help myself no more..."

As Stretch sings, his eyes are solely on you, and he points at you whilst singing those lines, subtly swaying his hips like you've seen them do at concerts. He's making you blush. It's so ridiculous that you laugh, and your face reddens when you wonder: 'are these lyrics for me?'  
Why did he choose this song? It's got you nodding your head and acting all silly because you can't help being...so happy. 

Stretch carries on the next verse, losing the stand and holding the microphone. He pretends to strip tease you, and for a second there you actually think he's gonna take his shirt off: His fingers slip to run over the waistband of his pants, then take the hem of his hoodie and start pulling it up. You glimpse that orange layer again, and before you can study it it's gone, and he's grinning and laughing it off in his head. You can see his amusement in his eyes  
...thank god.  
Those black pupils are directed at your face, and whenever he says 'feelings', his eyes roam a little over your body...coincidence? The notes are pretty high there so maybe he's just struggling to concentrate on you then...but then again...  
You shiver.

"DANCE WITH ME, (Y/N)?" Blue suddenly spouts, sitting upright.

"What?" He doesn't let you answer properly, and pulls you up with him and spins you. He's concentrating so hard to do it right like that video he saw told him, but you don't know that, and you let him spin you and jump around with you. The elation heightens in your chest, mixing with the love and affection in a sickening, stomach flipping nervous joy that feels like it could burst from your beating heart at any second.   
You don't care, the music is filling you up and you close your eyes: believing the lyrics, enjoying the moment.

That spark they told you about...is this what they meant? You feel like a spark, and you just dance like you want to, unawares of what you must look like, and you don't notice the surprised and adoring smiles shared by all the men in the room, or the way Stretch's voice gets clearer as you exceed his expectations. 

The song draws to an end, and you're panting and your hair is messy and you must look blushy and frazzled but you couldn't give less of a damn. Now that Blue opened your eyes and told you that monsters couldn't want a human as a mate, you love these boys as much as you like, and you applaud not just their music.

"WOW." You grin, and Papyrus' face is basically orange. He goes all tsundere and hugs his guitar, being one of the ones who stays on the stage. "Guys...just...you're so good! I love you so much!" 

Stretch allows his cheeks to flush slightly, and he chuckles, stepping off the platform.

"honey, you made us good." He said smoothly, and you waved him off, the smile on your face one hundred percent genuine.

"Stop it, jeez." 

"haha, no seriously. we've never had anyone ta play for really. we had an audience this time." His arm circles your shoulders and you nudge yourself into his hold a bit. 

"That was fun...gosh...I just...I'm so happy!" Without you looking, Stretch looks around at all his companions, and the facial expressions all indicate one thing. It makes his stomach flutter with desire to keep you close to him and only him...he made you happy not them, right? It was his idea.

"hah, orange. that wasn't real music." Red jumps off the stage, abandoning his bass, and starts fiddling with the amps and hooking up his phone. His eyes flash for a second, and Stretch starts laughing. 

"red, no..."

"red YES!" Red puts his phone down, and a song begins. It makes you intake too much air in preparation for a knowing sigh, and Stretch is just laughing. Papyrus actually looks scared and Sans is holding in his chuckles. Red swaggers up to the podium back on stage, and slowly teases off his sweater, allowing his tank to hitch up on the way. You see his ribs and...something red? "hold tight, baby." he murmurs, licking his teeth and you pull away from Stretch to obey Red's seductive beckoning. You try moving your hips sexily as you walk up to him, and he jeers. "oh yeah, hunny...that's right." He winks at Stretch, mouthing the lyrics like he did before.

"Bring that body my way  
Can't take it off my brain  
Look like you do ballet..."

You don't know what you're doing or why, it feels like before at the Halloween party but liberated. You could dance all night to every song, and you just jump free of your box of comfort, and full on dance for Red. You know to some degree he loves it, but assured monsters couldn't feel love for humans let's you do whatever, and you switch from gyrating your hips to grinding against him: feeling his thighs press against your ass and his hands grip your waist. He's so hot...no seriously you're sweating.

You slip around to drag your hands down his back, and latch onto the waistband of his jeans, and he starts killing himself with laughter.   
Nice ass, Red.  
Everyone watches, and most people see the humour. You're teasing Red for sure, but you're also doing it as a natural response. You like Red's sexual aura a lot, he makes you feel sexy and hot and ready for...for anything.

"s-sweetheart what tha-" He swallows a moan as you drop in front of him, and execute it perfectly. "f-fuck...ya been practicing?" You don't hear him swear, but goddamn he sounds breathless. 

"Yah." You giggle, and go all limp and tired out. This moment gives you a chance to scan the room, and find Blue is strangely good at dancing like a playa, and Papyrus might have a fear of heavy bass. He's edging closer to the door, poor boy. Russ is chilling with a cigarette between his teeth on the balcony, watching with a smirk on his lips, and...where is Sans?  
The gasp leaves you without consent, as hands seal around your waist and pull you away to start dancing with the owner: Sans himself. Red joins in, making an opposites sandwich, but they act like each other with their faces bright scarlet and cerulean from laughing so hard. They spin you between each other like a pinball machine, and you get so dizzy...everything is just a blur of colors and music and laughter.

Collapsed on beanbag, the room swirls and blurs and you cheeks burn with the remnants of two cheeky kisses on either side.  
The boys are up front, still dancing and laughing and slapping each other's asses. It's like their drunk, and you notice later that there are a few bottles of some kind of monster alcohol on the stage with a weirdly mutant apple drawn on them.  
Red might have fed you some of that before you collapsed...  
You're not sure if maybe it's a dream or a fantasy or a reality, but through your tired, blurred vision and buried within the undefined vibrations of an acid-trip song, the image forms into the stage, the instruments, and upon it with their chests pressed together and arms around each other's waists is Red and Comic. Their lips are intwined, and Red's sharp smirk is visible from your angle, the spark from a gold tooth blinding you as his hands go to violate Sans' jeans and toy with whatever is at the back of his pelvis.  
Tongues glinting in the studio light, and flashes of eyes and desperate glitches of movement through passion and aggression merge and you're confused inside.  
Sans' bare forearms and undone shirt buttons, Red's bulging biceps and heavy belt gradually slipping down his hips...  
It's either the hottest dream you've ever had, or the most traumatic reality you've ever witnessed.

And then your eyes open and you're in someone's car. It's warm, but your fingers are cold.  
The low hum of the engine is accompanied by gentle music, and as the seat belt is kind of cutting into your chest you sit up weakly and groan yourself awake.

"heya, darlin'." Russ' gravelly voice comforts you. His huge hand rests on your knee. "stay calm, ya must be tired."

"Yeah." You rest your eyelids a little. "What time is it?"

"it's quarter ta one, babe." Russ tips his head out the window to breathe a plume of smoke into the darkness. "turns out monster alcohol an' humans..." he makes a cutting motion with his hand. "ya were out cold so i took ya outta there." 

"Oh." You stare into the abyss of night and endless road being swallowed up beneath the wheels through the windscreen and ponder over the ache pounding at your skull. "Thanks."

"don't mention it. i got your bags in tha back, m'takin ya home."

"What?! No!"

"darlin', i ain't usually tha guy who's against a party but ya didn't wanna stick around."  
You lower your eyes, and then a thought pops into your head.

"Hey...Russ?"

"yeah, darlin'?"

"Did Red and Sans kiss?" The nerves definately show in your voice. "Are they...are they..."

"goin' out? nah, honey, monsters don' really have a sexuality like that." Russ chuckles and spits his cigarette out the window. "but, heheh, ya must have been more out of it than i thought. no kissin happened, like, at all." He looks as though he might crack up with laughter, as if the thought of what you just suggested was too humorous to contain. His lips are pursed and his eyes crease with his enormous smile, opening the cut up further. You wonder if it hurts.

Blushing, you nod your head. 

"What did I drink?" 

Russ laughs again, still reserved.

"Crab apple cider. It's kinda like...speed for you humans...but not so dangerous." His grin gets slacker. "turns ya on though, big time." 

Your blush was pretty obvious, but now? You might as well have cracked open a can of marinara and chucked it over your head.

"T-turns you on?"  
Russ smirks rather than smiles at your flustered little voice.

"red musta had a few before you came, 'reckon he wanted a little more than ta sing a song for ya tonight, babe"

"WHAT?" You sit bolt upright and grip the dashboard. "You mean..." gulping down regret, you hope Russ is playing a prank. But as the words flutter from his scarred lips, the blood instantly drains from your face and your knees start to shake.

"don't act so surprised, darlin'. surely ya know monsters don't gotta preference when it comes ta fuckin' around...so ta speak."

You choke. "You what?" But Russ appears far too amused by everything. Your chest tightens as you recall thrusting your ass against Red's pelvis, groping his thighs, feeling his 'muscles' and dancing like a slut for him.

You thought he found it funny...you love his laugh and that's why you did it...but all along he-

"Russ...Blue told me monsters don't think of humans like that." Maybe Russ will own up to the joke now. Maybe this was all just a horrid prank.

"he did? i hate to say so but he might have lied ta you." Russ looks genuinely concerned. "it doesn't sound like blue to lie but, i know for a fact that monsters can find other species attractive. it's 'cus we're such a diverse species in ourselves..."

He's making sense and you hate it. Things were so much simpler when you believed Blue! He goes on.

"i mean, look at sans: he dated that embassy brat once."

"He did?" Okay, now there's a lump in your throat, like you're going to cry, or be sick. 

"yeah, they were pretty awkward." Russ ruffles your hair and you huff. "don't be on such a downer though, darlin'. this don't change anything since none o' us would ever do anything to ya, or let anything happen, alright?"

"Mhm." You fold you hands quietly in your lap and try to stay composed. You've had so much fun, you can't let a simple fact hurt you now, right?  
The kisses on your cheeks still tingle with the warm traces of skeletal lips, and upon the reflection they flush pink. You smile.

Russ walks you back to your door without another word so much as a 'take care', and then he's gone and you take yourself to bed.  
You have work in the morning, but that doesn't hinder your heart full of dizzy daydreams and laughter and romance. 

So monsters can fall for humans too, huh?  
You wonder what you could do with that knowledge as you send each of the boys an arbitrary 'Xx' goodnight and curl up under the blankets with Stretch's luscious voice quietly singing away to you in your dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Agh! I'm so happy people are reading this. It's so exciting to think that my writing is having a positive effect on people it really is.  
> Thank you to @Tyranttortoise for having similar scenes in her brilliant fanfiction 'Skeleton squatters and the landlady', so please read that because it's just gold and much much better than this. Why are you even here lol.
> 
> Next time a MASSIVE TIME skip because I'm behind schedule and also maybe a real date this time. 
> 
> Anyhoo, LEAVE UR DELICIOUS KUDOS if u can and uh...yeah! Ooh, check out my tumblr 'Osospice' if you want.  
> Love you! X


	13. It's A Date!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Valentines day! And an unexpected thing occurs that you think you might regret.
> 
> (This will be a two-parter because I'm so busy and I don't have much time to write aaaaaaa...)

It sounds cheesey, but time passes without giving you much of a chance.  
Relationships crumble, finances soar and plummet, and day after day the weight of some sort of deadline hangs even heavier in your shoulders.

New year has been...debatably one of the best fresh starts you've ever been given. It feels like a totally new beginning: with such great friends and respect at work, you're feeling a kind of confidence you've rarely experienced for so long before.

You've seen the boys about three times in person since the serenade, and they seem to be distancing themselves a bit.  
Well, some of them are.  
Red, understandably, must feel embarrassed. Sans actually told you over text that, although he never planned to go so far, that Red had confessed to wanting to try and have sex with a human.  
According to Sans' own theory, Red's natural curiosity was more the culprit rather than his heart's affections, which reassured you that these monsters weren't totally into you for love, but rather into you for your existance.  
As interesting as a human is, you find it difficult to imagine the complexity of a monster, and therefore wonder why monsters would even bother caring about humans so avidly.

But hey, you love them all too, and even though you understand what Blue meant when he said that because he was a monster, he was not dating you, it doesn't really change the fact that whenever Sans hugs you, you want him to never let go, or when Blue smiles your heart pounds, or when you watch Papyrus work and use his big, capable hands you want to hold them and press them to your face, or when Red reclines you want to sit on his lap and kiss his jaw.  
You want to hear Stretch sing and Russ' laugh, and to break apart the walls around Black and Edge to get at their softer selves that you've briefly glimpsed a few times before...

It's safe to say that this love-crush has become an entire smoothie of emotions, and you just hope that, with time, you might get to see these significant men in your life as simple friends, and you won't suffer that high-school-butterflies feeling in your stomach at every touch and exchange of words.

They've kissed you...most of them...not all on the lips...and those kisses still resound in your skin, as though their skeletal lips have punctured invisible tattoos into your body: tingling imprints that aren't a bother so much as a reminder that you are loved...even if that love is platonic and open.

***

Valentines day: also known as 'oh fuck my heart is going to break' day.  
Although, by some miracle, it wasn't so bad this year.

Eight cards.

EIGHT.

Stuffed at random angles into the mailbox were eight, beautifully mangled Valentines cards, as though the entire skeleton family had fought to get their letter into the box first.  
You chuckle at the idea of that, and clutch your precious gifts to your chest and sprint up to your apartment in your dressing gown and pajamas to sit on the bed and read every one with a tub of your favourite caramel cup ice cream instead of breakfast.  
This flavour will always remind you of the first time you met Sans; waiting for his messages patiently behind the barrier of a phone screen.

On the bed, you lay out each card to get a good view of them all and therefore finally feel like those lucky girls at work who always get hundreds of love notes taped to their desks and stuffed in their lockers every 14th of feb.

The first: Papyrus.  
The envelope is bright red, and had a white paper heart seals the flap shut. He's written your name on the front in enviably immaculate handwriting, and has included the date and used a stamp you've never seen before. (You cut it out and stick it on your baron noticeboard in the kitchen later.)  
The actual card is white, and this time a red heart decorates the front, complete with pearlescent laminate paper and the same gorgeous handwriting inside. Your heart melts like the tub of ice cream between your thighs as you read Papyrus' lovely words:

'DEAREST (Y/N),

ALTHOUGH YOU MAY NOT FEEL THE SAME, I HAVE ENJOYED EVERY MOMENT I'VE HAD WITH YOU. YOU MAKE ME SMILE, AND WHEN I SEE YOUR FACE, I CANNOT HELP BUT THINK I AM THE LUCKIEST SKELETON OF ALL TO HAVE AQUIRED SUCH A REMARKABLE FRIEND.  
I KNOW HOW HUMANS ARE EMOTIONALLY COMPLEX, BUT IN MONSTER SOCIETY WE SIMPLY SAY WHAT WE FEEL, AND I WILL ADMIT THAT, BECAUSE WE KNOW SO LITTLE ABOUT YOU, YOU ARE LIKE THE PRINCESS IN THE TOWER WHOM I WISH TO RESCUE, AND PERHAPS IN FACT, VERY BEAUTIFUL FOR A HUMAN TOO.  
I AM BLUSHING AS I WRITE THIS TO YOU, BUT I MUST STRESS THAT I AM NOT ASKING FOR A ROMANTIC DATE, NOR ANYTHING MORE THAN TO CATCH A MOVIE WITH YOU OR TO SPEND THE DAY ALONE WOULD MEAN A LOT TO ME.  
I WANT TO ALWAYS BE THERE TO CATCH YOU WHEN YOU FALL, AND PUSH YOU BACK UP AGAIN UNTIL YOU NEED ME NO LONGER!

YOURS FAITHFULLY,  
THE GREAT PAPYRUS'

You can imagine him saying all of that, and see the way he'd clasp his hands nervously and fidget his feet. You can see the rosy blush of his ivory cheeks so clearly that your impulse is to peck a kiss on his chin, but then you remember he isn't actually there with you.

Smiling through the lump in your throat, you gently rest the card on the nightstand and pick up the next in the pile: Red's.

Already this looks entertaining. Beyond the standard white envelope is a card with a slogan on the front, which makes you snort aloud.

'Is that a mirror in your pants? Because I can see myself in them.'

Along with that is the okay hand next to the pointing left hand emoji printed underneath. Before you fully open the card, something falls out.

It's a little square of paper, about the size of a Polaroid, and you gasp as you turn it over.  
It's a photograph, of...Red's chest...you think. God, his collarbone is delicious like Sans', but his clavicle wider and sharpened, tapering down to meld with the neat join of the centre of his rib cage. His ribs curve concentrically down in a shape that is broad and strong, and just slipping off screen is some kind of glowing red sheet...is that like a weird stomach or something? Your curiosity hits the roof and you hold the image millimetres from your eyes to study it. Red's sexy smirk is visible, that golden tooth catches the light, and radiating vibrantly in the centre of his chest -glowing through the bone with bright scarlet light is a perfect heart shape.  
What?!  
That's a pretty neat trick, you think, and kind of sweet in an...abstract way.

You want to ask about this picture so badly but then again, you do not want him to know how long you've stared at this photo. It's regrettably starting to turn you on, and so you shut it away in a drawer and instead read the card.

It just says, in scruffy, barely intelligible handwriting:  
"sorry, babe. my hand slipped.  
happy valentine, sugar."

You sniggered and moved on to read Stretch's card. Hopefully this one will be a little more sensible.

However, it isn't. It's a heart-shaped sticky note that has been written on in white marker: "lol, stole this from Edge.." followed by a cheeky wink and "have a great valentines, honeybee."

Even though lazy, half-assed and simple, that last bit makes your cheeks turn a little pink. These boys have a thing going with all these nicknames they keep using.

Next up is Edge, and to be honest you're scared by the chalky black envelope, and the card is black too...written on in white paint marker like Stretch.  
So he did steal the stationary from Edge. That makes you chuckle.

"HUMAN,  
I HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF THIS FOOLISH SURFACE CUSTOM CALLED 'VALENTINES DAY'. BY UNIVERSAL INSTRUCTION, AS A SENTIENT MALE CREATURE I AM BOUND TO SOME UNSEEN CONTRACT THAT FORCES ME TO SEND YOU A LETTER ON THIS DAY TO EXPRESS MY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF YOUR EXISTENCE BY MANDATORY OBLIGATION.

INDEED, YOU ARE QUITE AMIABLE ON OCCASION. YOU ARE MOST CERTAINLY A TOLERABLE YOUNG WOMAN INDEED, AND WE SHALL GET TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER THROUGH THE COURSE OF TIME.

YOURS."

Jeez. He didn't even sign his name! At first you think he's a bit of a dick...but then you imagine what it must be like in a household of other men who are prone to heckling and teasing, and you respect Edge for taking the road that will earn him the least amount of grief. In a way...you kind of feel sorry for him. He must actually get mocked quite a bit in order for him to be so consistently reserved.

Black's card is no better:

"(Y/N),  
I WAS TOLD I MUST SPEAK TO YOU FOR THIS DAY AT LEAST.  
ALTHOUGH I AM SURE WE WILL CONTINUE TO RESIDE IN THE SHADOWS OF MY INAPPROPRIATE NATURE, AND YOUR NEGLECT OF MY APOLOGY AFTERWARDS.

I WAS PLANNING TO WRITE YOU AN EXPLANATION AND DIVULGE YOU WITH A SOLUTION TO OUR...COLD RELATIONSHIP, HOWEVER I RESPECT YOUR LIFE AS IT STANDS AND DO NOT WISH TO COMPLICATE THINGS FURTHER.

SIGNED,  
BLACK."

You sigh heavily. You don't hate Black...not in the slightest. All that happened was a little of that 'monster curiosity' Sans was talking about, and you'd forgiven the brooding monster for trying to kiss you ages ago. you desperately want to amend the mistake of ignoring his messages before Christmas, but you're very afraid of Black and what might happen if you say the wrong thing.

You liked him though, he'd said: "I ADMIRE YOU, (Y/N)"

But that was before.

Sitting upright suddenly, you grip the dark coloured card in your hand tighter, thinking about all the times one of the skeletons has 'made a move' or done something very forward. They'd told you that monsters are naturally very affectionate, and Russ had said they had no sexual preferences as such but...  
You strongly believe that these boys are far better infatuated with people of their own species...and humans like the monster ambassador! Yes, Frisk, or somebody close to them like that-heck, most likely other people in general.  
Despite this, it's so lovely of them to send cards, and you feel all fuzzy inside as you read the next three.

Sans' was just as lazy as Stretch's, except less stolen. Sans had used a piece of blueprinting paper and written in pencil over the top:  
"come visit me in my dungeon anytime you like, babe." With a scruffily drawn Lenny-face in the corner, which makes your tear up a little.  
Why, Sans? Why?

Blue's is very sweet, and so refreshing after the last bundle of unsettling cards.

"BRIGHTEST HUMAN!  
I HAVE WRITTEN THIS ON SUCH A DAY TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!  
OUR NON-DATE WAS SO MUCH FUN, THAT I WISH TO TAKE YOU OUT AGAIN, AND WE SHALL HAVE MANY MORE ADVENTURES TOGETHER IN THE FUTURE! THIS VALENTINES I WISH FLOWERS AND KISSES AND ALL THE TACOS YOU WILL EVER NEED!

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

THE MAGNIFICENT BLUE!"

Each card you balance on the table by your bed, and they start to overcrowd it a bit. You feel so special and a little embarrassed, but definitely happy enough to run to their house today and reward them all with the biggest hug you can muster.

You would actually prefer to kiss them all instead, but as great as that sounds in your head, it would be...kind of slutty to do that in real life wouldn't it?

Last but not least is Russ' card.  
It's lazy, that's for sure, but not too slack.  
The front is a picture of himself, but you can only see his silhouette in the sepia filter. He appears to be leaning on a balcony rail looking off at the city in the distance with a cigarette between his fingers.

"love was made for the burning poor,  
not just this sun alone,  
shoreline pebbles kissing trees or  
souls that bond with bone.  
for those who share our blood,  
or for hands that hold a heart,  
this day has gone misunderstood,  
'cus love will last, else break apart."

A poem? Or a song...maybe it's a song. It's a little morbid, but you understand what he's trying to say after re-reading the verses many times, and it's a good point: You shouldn't only show love when you're supposed to on days like Valentines, you should show you love someone all the time, which is very true.  
Again, you remember how intelligent Russ comes across. His every move is calculated, you can tell. He's almost like a machine, or a loyal dog.  
'Dog', hah. More like a wolf.

"Thanks, Russ." You grin and admire all the great cards you received today. "Is this luck or a curse?" You ask yourself.

Later, after getting changed into your new sweater, coat and jeans, you burst out the front door and start running up the street, your bag crashing against your hip and your hair flying.  
You probably look like a nutcase, but you have a mission!  
Your eye catches the green awning of the corner shop before the street ends, and you come to a halt. It would be a good idea to give the boys something in return fort heir kindness, like chocolate or something. You've never been great at gifts, but you know that junk food in that household won't go underappreciated, that's for sure.  
Blue had been enthusing to you about the diet he and Papyrus have set their brothers on, and Papyrus had been complaining about that subject at the same time- in an surprisingly depressed manner- because Sans won't stop snacking behind his back, and when he gets caught, he makes the 'sea-food and eat it' pun.  
So giving the house a bit of a break from dieting might be something good, and might earn you some bonus points with characters like Black. 

You cross the street and the bell jingles as you enter the little shop. It smells like the olives on display in big bowls at the front, mixed with the smell of cheap candy, which isn't particularly pleasant. You stand, pondering over which chocolate to buy before taking one of everything and filling your basket to the brim.  
The weight of it makes an embarrassing thud as you drop it onto the counter to be scanned through.  
The boy running the store, Danny, smiles awkwardly and clears his throat, raising his eyebrows so that they partially disappear above his sweeping fringe of golden hair. He takes the first bar off the top of the pile and hesitates before scanning it and assuming some kind of robotic mentality, and you see the focus leave his eyes, making you feel kind of sorry for him.

Because you have so much time before he finishes totaling everything up, you end up studying him a bit. The funny thing is about Danny, is that you're pretty sure his dad is Korean, and yet he has blonde hair. You're wondering if it's a fluke of nature or a fantastic bleach job, but he looks cool. His eyes are the warmest brown, and he has a haze of pale freckles over his nose, and eyebrows a bit darker than his hair, although that would suggest that his hair is naturally blonde, right?

"Hey, um..." Danny scans another candy bar and adds it to the pile on the other end of the counter. You startle awake and suddenly feel embarrassed for staring at him so much. "I wouldn't normally ask this...and it might seem kinda rude but..." His smile turns lopsided. "Could you please, like, help me a bit here? Just pass me the stuff so I can scan it quicker."

"Oh! Yeah, yeah sure!" You hurry to join him behind the desk, and it's a bit cosy, but it's just like standing next to one of the skeletons...in the sense that Danny is a bit taller than you, and it's kind of nice to feel partially protected and less alone. "Sorry, buying gifts."  
He laughs a bit, but it wasn't that funny.

"You sure? If I were you, I'd take 'em home and eat them all myself."

"Hah, I'd like that to happen but, I'd get supremely fat."

"True, but it wouldn't be the end of the world."

Danny is reminding you of high school so much, seeing as you used to see him a lot in class, and it's not a bad thing. You remember having giddy thoughts about boys and laughing with your little friends over stupid things, eating lunch in the summer on the banks and sticking to the plastic chairs when it got too hot.  
You recall he was always this sort of...nihilistic but correct, and you always used to think that he was awkward. However now, you stand next to him and pass him chocolate bars to give to your new friends later, and you half wish you were giving them to him. Not because you love him or anything, but you feel bad for not noticing him before, and realizing so late that he's not awkward, just more sensible than most kids.

"Is that a threat?" You quip, watching him scan the next item without even looking.  
He replies with little to no enthusiasm but rather a smile on his face.

"If you like."

There's a pause that gets filled with more bleeps from the till and the basket drains some more.

"So how come you didn't send me a card this Valentine's, hm?" You joke, pretending to be pretentious and high-maintenance. Danny looks at you with wide eyes for a second, and then they soften as he gets it. A smirk replaces the surprise.  
"Shit, must've forgotten."

"That's terrible, how could you?"

"Wasn't too hard. Let's go on a date to make up for it." 

You were about to give him the last bar of chocolate but your hand withdraws it a bit. Your face turns to a small frown, and Danny raises a brow. "You okay?"

"Would you?" You say suddenly.

"What?"

"Would you take me out on a date?"

You just made things super fucking awkward, but you want to know, because something inside you is causing a few butterflies in your stomach. You don't know Danny, and you have other men to attend to, but something about today and something about how the boys have been keeping their distance for a few weeks urges you to try something new. Maybe it's a bit of vengeance, because even though they sent you cards, you miss all the attention on normal days. If you went out on a date with Danny...just the one...maybe you'd make at least one of the skeletons jealous. It couldn't hurt them, could it?

"Is that an order or an offer?" Danny barely turns his head to look at you.

"I'm asking." You blush, getting kind of flustered. "Would you, if you wanted to, take me out on a date?"

The boy's cheeks turn a little rosy, and he chuckles.

"Uhhm..."

"I just wanna know."

"Well, yeah...I suppose...why not? Why, you serious?" 

"Um..."

"I will if you want me to." He says, suddenly becoming adorably sincere. "Do you want me to?"

"S-sure! W-what time?" You're screaming on the inside, asking yourself over and over: 'why am I doing this?!'

"Oh! Wow, okay." He thinks about it whilst taking the last bar from you forcibly. "I get off work at five so...meet me outside this store at seven? Does that sound okay?"

You exhale the last sixty seconds away, and giggle nervously.

"Yeah! That's fine...thank you."

"For what?" He asks.

"I don't know yet."

He shakes his head and grins, scanning the last item.

"Seven it is."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I know this is super late but, better late than never, right? Will upload the second half soon maybe...  
> Also cue drama in 3, 2,1...


	14. Hands- (Valentines part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You try to make amends with the boys with a peace offering, and to thank them for the cards, and your date with Danny went a little better than you thought...

A date? With Danny? The grocery boy who waves to you on your way to work each morning...

The facts play over and over in your head as you cart the excessive bounty of chocolate bars to the skeleton's house, and they're almost troubling. It doesn't sit well with you that you're going on a date with a human after spending so long with your monster friends. It's sort of...relieving? Because now perhaps you aren't as strange as you thought...but on the other hand, you have found moments where you've felt a definite...attraction to all the skeletons at least once, but never on Danny. He's a good-looking boy, sure, but you can't help but feel the pressure.  
However, you never thought, after so long being single, that you'd get a chance at a real date. It'd gotten to the point where you'd sort of forgotten that dates existed.

Your arms felt like they're about to fall off by the time you stumbled into the familiar neighbourhood. The huge houses made of stylish panels of glass and wood stand, identical, in two neat rows alongside the road, and it makes you smile to see the first on the right to be just a little different from the rest; messes of coats and boots blocking the windows by the door and the skull-shaped fairy lights glowing against the window pane.

Your phone starts jangling, and you hastily drop your bags and pull it out of your pocket.

"Hello?"

"Hi, sweetie!" Your mom's voice comes across quite loud over the speaker, and you wince and hold the phone further from your ear.

"Hi mom. What's up? Everything okay?"

"Oh more than okay! Your father is taking me somewhere hot for the rest of the winter, because we're so tired of the cold!"

"The cold? Wait, so the divorce thing..."

"I think that subject has had a pin put in it, darling, so we can thank god for that."

"I guess..."

"Don't be so miserable! How has your valentines been so far? Got any cards?"

It feels so good to be able to answer that question the way you do. It's never been like this before.

"Yeah, actually! I got eight, from my monster friends."

"EIGHT?!" Your mother shouts, and then the sound becomes muffled as the phone has to readjust. "That's fantastic, honey!"

"Yeah, it was really cool." You smirk, adding: "I've got a date too."

"Oh!" Your mother seems less pleased about that, and you realise why. Of course, she would be classically biased against the other species. "With a-"

"With Danny?" You correct smugly, feeling hurt that even your mother would act slightly racist in front of you. It's almost like your parents don't believe in monsters, and that the idea that you're friends with them is just like having imaginary boyfriends or something. It's very patronising.

"OH! Oh, Danny! That's...that's great, hun."

"It sort of came as a surprise so, I'm a little nervous...anyway, I have to go. gotta be somewhere."

You hoped your mother would sign off quickly after that, so that you could get to playing the 'valentines Santa Claus' and hand out the candy to sweeten up the boys.  
After not visiting in so long, you have to apologise somehow. 

The reason for such a lack of communication, was that they had been kind of closed off to you lately. Since Stretch put on that show and Red... well, you know what Red did...or tried to do...no one had been very open. 

The reason why you aren't disturbed out of your mind at the concept of a skeleton monster attempting to get you drunk for sex is because, by your thinking, if Red really was the type to lay hands on you without your direct consent, you're sure he would have done it already.  
Sans had been very gracious and apologised for Red's behaviour, during a video call you had with him just after. He'd put a hand on the back of his neck and turned away from the camera, avoiding eye contact as he addressed the delicate subject.

He was surprised that you were so chill about it though, and asked how you felt honestly.

"Honestly? I don't know."

"you don't know?" Sans raised an eyebrow, looking concerned. "what's up with that?"

"I'm not offended or upset..." You said, waving your hands about as if to coax an explanation into your head from the air. "I think...I trust your family enough to believe the possibility that Red wouldn't have gone as far as to...well..."

"i see." Sans sat back in his chair coolly, and his face became more obscured. "i'm still worried for you though."

"Please don't be, Sans. It's fine."

"if not you then for red, and for everyone. he's gonna get us all in trouble one of these days."

"What do you mean?"

"well..." Sans sighed in the way he does when he has something on his mind that's burdening him. "monsters have it rough anyway, ya know? now i don't mean ta accuse or anything but-"

"I won't tell a soul." You interject, and he seems taken aback. "Sans, you trust me, right?"

There was silence from the other end of the line, and you thought that, perhaps Sans hadn't heard you, so you tried again.

"Sans?"

He took a breath, one that was shaky and uneven- as though he were holding back tears or something, or was repressing anger.

"We don't know each other well enough for that."

Such a cold, harsh line coming from him. It was…cruel? No, you understood. He was just telling it how it was.

You'd known the skeletons for less than half a year. You didn't know their surname, their tastes, their ages or their backgrounds. You were, in actual fact, just someone to bulk out a party whenever they had one, and that fact stung like salt in a cut.

"Ah...hm..." Stuck in your throat, the words refused to come out, and eventually they blurred and muddled until the sentence you wanted to say no longer made sense, and you'd tried to tailor it and edit it in your head but nothing made it past your lips other than: 

"Sorry."

Sans leant forward to look at the image of your face on the screen.

"Stop reading me." You said, quietly. "I know that's what you're doing."

"shit, i'm sorry, kid...no, i really am." He didn't stop looking though, and you sighed as the screen and the room around you turned into a watery mass of colour and shade, and eventually cleared as warm tears trickled down your cheeks. "are you...are you crying?!" 

Sans' heavy swallow could be heard over the call, and you sniffed and pushed the laptop off your legs as if shoving him away.

"No." 

"I didn't mean ta make you cry, please, kid...i didn't mean it like that!"

"I understand what you meant." You shut your eyes and cleared the water from your face with your wrist.

"talk to me about it then, please, you should not be crying right now."

"Sorry, Sans...I think...I just remembered..."

And then you'd hung up, and held your pillow close to your chest like you used to when you were young.  
You didn't cry any more, though. You just sat with a heavy heart, thinking about your place in the world.

You are an outsider, an acquaintance but not a friend. The one thing you'd like from the skeletons today would be just some quality time: no partying, no dates, no music, just...them. You want to feel justified when you call them 'friends', because Sans' words still circle around your heart, like an objective waiting to be fulfilled:

"we don't know each other well enough for that."

Approaching the front door without an invitation is the first step to becoming better friends. If you can pull this off, sweeten their attitudes with candy and then buff up on befriending the family...then everything will be fine.  
Other people might let go and find more friends, but this is the best and most confident you've felt in forever, and you're determined to make it last. Whatever it takes...

This is the first time in weeks that you've genuinely felt sick with nerves. Not sick as in you're going to throw up, but, there are frantic butterflies in your stomach, and your knuckles whiten as you clutch the shopping bag at your side harder.  
Deep breath- there's a five in eight chance of the door being answered by someone non-threatening or socially difficult...and yet this fact doesn't put your mind to rest, and the cool wind of February ruffles your hair and chills your skin to the bone just thinking about the pressure riding on this meeting.

You can repair this bond and show the monsters that you aren't a distraction, or a liability, or a nobody-girl...you aren't a fleeting friendship waiting to be stamped out by the end of march after a long, long and painful phase of depleting numbers of messages on your phone. You aren't clingy or a user, or ungrateful or high maintenance or ignorant or-

It's open.  
The skeleton kicks the stopper against the door in a very slap-dashed way, and leans against the frame with folded arms.

"well if it ain't tha virgin mary." Red smirks, and that nervous energy that'd been building in your chest rockets into the back of your throat and grabs hold of your tongue. Fuck.

Why did it have to be him?

"Uh...uh...hahah..." You swallow thickly. "Hi! I...I wanted to say thank you for all the...um...I brought candy?"

"works fer me." Red holds out his hand expectantly, waiting for something. There is an awkward pause.

"You're not...I'm not coming in?" The words falter and your voice breaks off near the end, and Red's eagerly shining pupils flick to your eyes rather than the bag in your hand. 

"Uh...do ya wanna? I mean-"

"(Y/N!)" The unmistakable cry of Papyrus meets your ears before the man himself shoves Red aside (kind of aggressively) and takes hold of your shoulders. His grip is like a vice, and he hugs the living daylights out of you for a brief moment. "(Y/N) I MISSED YOU." He says.

"I missed you too, Papy. What's up?"

"EVERYONE'S OUT." Papyrus pulled away but keeps his hand on your back as he leads you into the living room and through to the kitchen. You can't help but notice the large bouquet of flowers addressed to the household in curly inked handwriting sitting on the record player you gave them between the bookshelves on the way in, and immediately your curiosity levels meet that of your anxiety.

"Where are they?" You enquire, catching Red closing the door in your peripheral, a scowl on his features. He disappears upstairs in no time and your attention reaches Papyrus once more.

"WELL, WE WERE ALL INVITED TO A SPECIAL FAMILY DATE WITH OUR EMBASSY FRIENDS." Whenever anyone mentions 'embassy', you think of Frisk, and thinking of Frisk makes you think of that day where you were humiliated at work.  
To be fair, that was the day Russ kissed you, and arguably the day you woke up to feeling things...uncannily like attraction to the monsters in your life.

That fact you'll try to bury beneath literally anything else until the bond is repaired. It'll be like a game or something.

Papyrus hands you a mug of tea and taps his gloved fingers against the porcelain of his own for a second whilst he thinks about how to explain the next stage in the best way possible.  
The thoughtful frown on his face was not like the Papyrus you know. Inside him, you think there's some kind of more 'awake' feeling than just his face-value happy-go-lucky nature. It's ironic, that everyone seems to want you to open up, when they're the ones seemingly holding things back.

"I WANTED TO GO BUT...LAST TIME RED LEFT THE HOUSE HE GOT INTO A FIGHT, AND SANS AND EDGE DECIDED TO GROUND HIM. I OFFERED TO STAY AND MAKE SURE HE DIDN'T LEAVE OR ANYTHING."

"You did that? No one else offered?" The tea is too hot to drink but you sip it anyway. Papyrus is a sweetheart for being so kind: you wouldn't want to 'babysit' Red, that's for sure. 

"WELL, THEY DID...BUT I INSISTED." He blushes a sweet orange-ish red over his cheekbones and a little smile surfaces. An odd reaction to that previous confession perhaps.

"Why was that?" 

"HEH..." The monster massages his neck nervously. "I SORT OF HOPED YOU MIGHT TURN UP. YOU SEEM TO COME ON DAYS OF HUMAN CELEBRATION AND...WELL..."

"I've missed you, Papy." You grin, and hop up to press an angelic kiss to his jaw.

"OH!" His fingers instantly touch the area you kissed with wonder, and his blush just gets brighter. "TH-THANK YOU!"

"You're welcome. Besides, I owe you something for sending me a card and for letting me in, right? And for the tea, of course."

Papyrus is totally tongue-tied, and so he just giggles giddily and takes a large swig if his tea that leaves the cavities in his face steaming slightly.  
You start to laugh and he demands you tell him what is so funny, and that the colour of his face is an allergic reaction. 

Later, Red comes in, and as he's dressed in tight black jeans that fit snugly on his thighs, and a tank top of a similar shade, you can't stop thinking about that photo he sent you. His bare chest looked so enticing in the picture, and as you look at the defined silhouettes of each rib, laddering down to meld into the slight pudge of his strong stomach- that of which you'd glimpsed on other skeletons and in his picture- thirsty thoughts tease the corners of your mouth upwards, turning your expression into that of someone trying not to smile. The redness of your cheeks, however, you can do nothing about.  
It's his fault anyway, for trying so hard and yet not at all at the same time. 

Bastard.

"i know i ain't supposed ta interact with ya after what happened and shit, but i honest-ta-fuck can't get that chocolate off my mind." Papyrus shushes him and the shorter growls. "stop actin' like my dad, yer younger than me!"

"He's more mature than you, though." You quip, which results in a burst of anger that you didn't expect. 

"Don't you fuckin' start. Just gimme somethin' from that bag and I'll be outta yer pretty hair again, alright?" 

Hurt, you swallow your sadness and show him the stack of candy on the work surface.  
"S-sure."

Red tears into an entire four-by-ten bar of white chocolate, taking half of it in one bite like an animal, or someone who hasn't eaten in days.  
He swallows and you can see him rapidly calm down. The rage ebbs from his eyes and the scarlet pupils expand into the softer halos he usually sports. His core relaxes visibly and he breathes deeply out of his nose. He hums in content, slowing down the eating as well.  
If you weren't so hurt by his snide comment you'd have admitted that the way he eats is excessive yet desperately hot.

"mmf- god i needed that." He chuckles, sucking the sugar off his fingers and grabbing another handful of bars. He salutes you and Papyrus a goodbye, before he disappears again upstairs. 

After that, you're in need of a hug, and so Papyrus obliges. You didn't ask, but rather fell into him. It's a bonus his chest is so lovely and broad and his arms gentle but able to safely grip onto you. You breathe his comforting scent and absorb his warmth, and simply mutter:  
"Thanks."

"YOU'RE WELCOME, HUMAN."

"Human?" You look up at his face and laugh. "Why'd you call me that, monster?"

Papyrus flushes and stammers a few words that mean nothing but are parts of an excuse.

"I...UM...WELL...HOW...AH..."

"Come on." You grin, "I have something to ask you, and I hope you can help."

Intrigued, Papyrus puts down his tea.

"WHAT'S THAT?" 

"It's...kind of an embarrassing secret, so I'll tell you later out of the way."

"OH! I SEE...THEN WHAT SHOULD I DO?"

You'd skipped breakfast by accident, and tea wasn't really a good enough replacement for it, so you swirled your drink carefully and asked:

"Why don't we make lunch?"

***

It's not as bad as it sounds. This was the perfect chance to get this glitter-happy noodle boy to become a pasta king in this household. You aren't exactly a master chef yourself, but you know more about how food should look and taste than Papyrus, that's just a fact.

You assist in collecting the ingredients by searching every cupboard there is. One is full of nothing but condiments, and it's like witnessing some kind of glitch in the matrix.  
After that, Papyrus makes you tie your hair back and hands you an apron. It must be Blue's, because there's a huge yellow star printed on the otherwise cream fabric, and the words 'Bone To Cook' written underneath in black marker. Had Stretch made this for him? You giggle at it, and then see Papyrus' is similar, also written on but in red. It reads: 'Endless Pastabilities' and the creator (clearly Sans) has drawn a bad version of his own face, surrounded in space-themed doodles above the text.  
You wonder if the brothers wear these purely out of love for their siblings, rather than actual desire to wear such hideous things unironically.

Papyrus' hand is poised to tip noodles into a pan, and you cry out and grab his wrist quickly.  
"Woah! Wait-" You laugh. "Make the sauce first, then we won't over-boil the spaghetti."

"We won't?" Papyrus blinks. 

"No. Let me show you..." 

Cooking with Papyrus is a bit stressful. On the one hand, the outcome will be worth it, but on the other, getting him to stop smashing tomatoes with his fists and use ingredients like garlic and basil are way too exhausting. You had to give him a gentle slap every time he tried to resist, and eventually, he started to understand your reasoning.

"I SEE..." He'd say, regarding your every move intensely.

You didn't cook perfectly, you slipped sometimes, and dropped things. You cut your finger and Papyrus patched it up for you, and the whole time he said nothing to put you down. He just watched with a certain fanatic fascination, and when he stuck the plaster over you thumb, he sat you down first on the stools behind the island and was ever so gentle in holding your hand and smoothing the band-aid over the cut with his thumbs. It was sore and you winced, and he even apologised and made sure you were okay to carry on.  
Your heart races inside your chest; every touch of his lovely, long fingers make the white butterflies of fear in your stomach blush pinker by the minute, and you feel hot and flustered all over, especially when he decides to show you a cutting technique he'd learnt from Queen Toriel one time and only just recalled, and so puppets your hands with his own much larger ones, with his chest against your back and his head looking over your shoulder.

You bite your lip, and exhale a rushed breath.

"I th-think I get it now...you don't have to-" He moves a little closer, and god, you can feel his hot breath on your cheek, and his thighs against yours. "Help!" You wheeze, but quiet enough for him to miss.

"YOU HAVE NICE HANDS." He says suddenly, and you startle. 

"What?"

The face of the skeleton...whom is a little too close to you right now, turns a bit rosy and he corrects himself.

"FOR A HUMAN, I MEAN."

"Um...thanks?"

He steps back and goes to wash up, and it feels like you've been under a hot shower for hours, and take the brief seconds he's away to fan your shirt and breathe for a second.  
He must have been thinking about your hands a lot, and looking at them too for him to have said that.  
A wash of adrenaline makes your cheeks buzz and a smile glide onto your lips. A tiny giggle escapes them and you have to take a moment to calm down whilst he checks the pot on the stove.

"THIS IS ALREADY LOOKING BETTER THAN USUAL." Papyrus sighs, his ego is wounded, but a wistful smile of pride for you he wears upon his face. "I... APPRECIATE YOUR HELP, (Y/N)." He twiddles his thumbs and you thank him in return whilst tipping the last of the chopped ingredients into the pot and replacing the lid.

"You did most of it." You laugh, and show off your plastered hand to emphasise. "Especially after I hurt myself, hahah."

"I'M SORRY THAT HAPPENED, I SHOULD HAVE SAVED YOU FROM IT."

"Save me?" Papyrus is sounding like a prince from a fairy-tale and it's insanely adorable to watch him grow all confident and puff up his chest, and hear him spouting lovely romantic nonsense about 'protection' to you.

Eventually, everything gets done, and you get him to drain the pasta for you- because the pot is too heavy. The lines of his arms flex as he effortlessly pours away the water from the vat, and shakes the noodles inside to stop them sticking like you'd recommended.

"Great job, heheh..." The small words of praise do not go unnoticed, and the skeleton seems to amplify his own hotness by tensing his whole frame in a showy-off-ish way.

"GLADLY DONE." Papyrus discards the pot in the sink and you run the hot water for a moment whilst he serves three bowls of spaghetti up on the counter.

"Hmmm..." One hand on your chin, you stare into the perfect bowls of red and yellow- thinking. Papyrus drops his hands from his hips and deflated his chest, extinguishing his pride because of your unsatisfied expression.

"W-WHAT'S THE MATTER?" He asks.

"It needs something..." You muse, "What about Parmesan?"

"P...PARMEESIAN?"

You snort and clap a hand to your face to stop the giggles.

"Parmesan; it's a cheese used in Italy a lot."

"OH! OH, I SEE!" Papyrus flushes shamefully and you notice his left hand subtly drift to his pocket. "I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY OF THAT."

"That's fine!" You nudge him to cheer him up. "We can use regular cheese."

You struggle a bit with the grater and a sore thumb, but you are determined to do something for Papyrus for once, and at last lunch is ready...albeit at three PM rather than actual lunch hour.

"Should we call Red?" You ask, bringing the bowls to the breakfast bar. "He'll want to eat, won't he?"

"UNDENIABLY." Papyrus rolls his eyes, and takes a seat beside you, wielding his fork in the most elegant way you've ever seen. The utensil looks really small between his fingers, and yet it's seemingly a regular size in your hands.

"RED!" You call, and hope that yelling like this in someone else's house isn't totally out of order. "FOOD!"

The sound of sluggish footsteps descends the staircase, followed by the slapping of bare feet on tile as Red drags himself into the kitchen and sort of falls into the seat next to you. Papyrus ignores him, but you can't ignore the way his eyes are ringed in grey, or the way he sighs like the end of the world is on his shoulders.

"stop starin'." He mumbles, rubbing the back of his hand over the corners of his mouth. "i just fell asleep."

***

Somewhere else entirely, Sans watches his drunken housemates show off to his extended family. He sips the glass of wine in his left hand, and unbuttons his shirt with the other.  
Damn, it's hot in here.

The music isn't offensive, but it's a slow concerto that has taken his spirits by the hand, and is starting to lead them down the winding staircase of despair.  
He and his 'troupe', will be here for another three hours at least, because everyone has only just eaten lunch, and Toriel decided dessert should be saved for a little later.

The white wallpaper and champagne curtains of the Royal living room blends sickeningly into the smell of peach fabric softener and musk, and memories of an era long past flutter through him involuntarily: afternoons of having Frisk curled up in his lap, and her white dog weighing on the back of his neck as it awkwardly piles on top of him in a desperate attempt to fit in.  
Evenings of this exact room, but in inkwell darkness, only the light of the sconces in the paralleling hallway illuminating shapes on the girl's tan skin as she tells him how she feels about him. 

Sans finds his lips repeating the lines he would parrot back to her, and as though he's trapped in a nightmare of past love, the lights in his eyes slowly flicker out, leaving him with empty sockets.

Then, a ghost.  
An image of you, to be exact. But you appear like a translucent pane of glass, and in his mind he reaches out.  
You're crying. He knows that face and that sound and he wishes he didn't. Why does this hurt him so much? What he said is true, he doesn't know you well, and yet he feels like you thought different. Before, the girl he met in a cafe would never cross his mind as something so important, but those tears, when he saw them the last time he saw your face, they were tears he's never seen spilling from the eyes of anyone he knows. They were full of anger, and disappointment and sadness. And why? He knows, and he won't admit it.  
He wants to see that expression he loves so much; the one you wore on your face when he showed you his lab, and the one of confused surprise his eyes met with the first time he lay them on you.

It's obvious that you think you're in love with his family, and it's obvious his family feels similarly...however, now that he's seen those tears, he knows that he'll see them again when all this mad chasing burns down to one conclusion, and you are left with dust.

And yet he's going to let it happen? He asks himself why, and his reasoning is ridden with bitter intent that he wishes was beyond him...and yet he is as primitive as any monster, deep down.  
The gossamer image of his guilt fades as the stone settles within his soul and wrenches him back to reality and away from the dwelling place of self-pity, and now only regret. Both what he has done to you, and to Frisk, rings throughout his skull.

***

After eating, you're more relaxed.  
When you'd offered to help make lunch, you hadn't predicted such a series of events that would cause you to feel so flustered, and so you stayed stock still and refused to direct your line of sight anywhere near Papyrus to your left, because looking at those hands and his strong arms, even his neck...it might make you blush.  
Even so, you're blushing anyway, because the thoughts are still there.

Red keeps looking at you out the corner of his eye, and you wonder if he can sense some kind of tension within you.  
Then again, this is Red you're talking about, and he doesn't strike you as the brightest bulb in the house.

Later, Papyrus takes you to his room and shows you around whilst Red traipses down to the lab to...brood, you guess.  
Papyrus declares that if you'd stayed in his room last time, you would have found it to be much better than Edge's.

It is a nice room: rectangular, with a built-in wardrobe and a desk, his bed is a double like Edge's, and the red sheets are neatly pressed and folded- spotlessly clean. There are folded dress shirts on the windowsill, and... cologne?  
He has a shelf of figurines he's taken with him from his home underground, and although childish, you can appreciate the sentimental value.

"S-so, Papy?"

"YES, (Y/N)?" He pauses, and then intuitively responds with, "ARE YOU GOING TO TELL ME THE SILLY THING YOU HINTED AT EARLIER?"

"So you didn't forget that, huh." You mutter, half impressed. "I guess, if you want me to."

"NATURALLY, I AM CURIOUS." The skeleton has his back to you, but turns his head slightly to show you half of his sly expression.

"Well...I'm going on a date tonight."

"A DATE?!" Papyrus covers his mouth and spins around, suddenly becoming very animated. "WITH WHOM?!"

"A boy, no one you know." You spurt quickly, "Th-the problem is...I've forgotten how to date."

"YOU HAVE?" Papyrus blinks, "WELL...UM..."

You cringe a little. He doesn't need to know you're off on a date! Why did you tell him? Because...  
That's right. Papyrus is a safe person. He'll know what to do and he always seems to know what's best for you. If there is anyone you can go to for help it's probably Papyrus.

"WELL HAVE NO FEAR!" The tall skeleton rises to his full height, and puffs up his chest. "I KNOW EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT DATING!" 

***

"So...dearest Slim...tell me about your brother." The young girl lightly traces the rim of her glass of champagne with the end of her finger, perched upon the sprigged couch in the centre of the room. She has been taught to sit very upright, and although arrogant enough to have impressive etiquette himself, Edge finds himself to be feeling slightly second-rate to the woman sat beside him.  
He's never met Frisk until today, and so far he is not particularly enjoying the experience. He should never be out ranked by anyone- being used to a house full of lazybones and wannabes- and even if he were, he reviles the fact that it is by a human woman of a much younger age.

"MY BROTHER? WHY SO?" The subject of Red just makes matters worse. Edge despises small talk, and he despises talking about Red, and so both combined is unbearably insufferable.

"I am merely curious." Smiled Frisk. "Mother told me I must get to know all the skeletons, so that I am educated."

"I FEAR I REPEAT MYSELF," Edge cleared his throat, and his posture slouched a bit because he was in the process of giving up. Even her diction is impeccable. "BUT AGAIN, I MUST ASK WHY."

"Mother believes, that to make up for my past mistakes, I must make an effort for Sans."

"FOR SANS? WHAT COULD YOU HAVE DONE FOR YOU TO BE ASSIGNED TO RESEARCH THIS HORRENDOUS FAMILY?"

Frisk giggles at that, although Edge was not trying to be funny.

"I regretfully confess that I may have lured him into a business relationship, which I neglected to inform him of fully."

"I SEE."

"No, no, it is not as bad as you might think, dear Slim. You see, I did feel for him during that time."

"I WON'T DEMAND FURTHER FROM YOU, AMBASSADOR. WORRY NOT."

"Thank you." The girl sips the clear drink from her glass and sighs politely. "So, shall you indulge me, and tell me about your brother?"

Edge groans and downs his wine in one without her noticing.

"MY BROTHER, RED, IS POSSIBLY THE WORST PERSON YOU WILL EVER MEET."

"Had I have met him..." Frisk interjects, a wistful look in her eye. Edge makes a face and continues.

"HE'S A TERRIBLE FLIRT, HE DRINKS TOO MUCH, AND ABOVE ALL IS IRRESPONSIBLE AND LAZY AS ANYTHING." Edge catches a worried side-look from Stretch but ignores it. "MOST OF THE SKELETONS YOU WILL MEET ARE FLAWED IN THEIR OWN WAYS."

"Then what about yourself?" Frisk is still smiling, however now her happy facade might be fading a tad. "How are you 'flawed', as you say?"

"ME?" Edge scoffs, "I AM PERFECT. TAKE FROM THAT WHAT YOU WILL."

"I see..." The girl smirks and takes another quiet sip.

"NOW IF YOU WILL EXCUSE ME, I REQUIRE MORE WINE." And with that, Edge gets to his feet and strides away without waiting for a reply. He passes Black whilst doing so, and the two catch each other wearing the same faces of hopelessness; equally as out-ranked by the upper-class royals they're being forced to mingle with.

***

Like a pair of combs, Papyrus' long, bare fingers rake down through your hair, and he gently gathers and arranges it the way you instruct. He smiles softly, yet his eyes are focused on the task at hand.

"That's right...and... yeah use that slide..." You bite your lip and watch the magic happen in the mirror. You look so weird today. It's like you're looking at a different person. It could be the reddened cheeks or the neat hair, but you're sure there's something else about you that you just can't explain. You can't decide whether it's good or bad either.

"HOW IS THIS?" Papyrus stops working and you turn your head to check more angles. He's executed the style you asked for perfectly, and in such little time and minimal pain. Each plait and pull are symmetrical and precise. His accuracy is astounding.

"It's...it's actually perfect!" You admire the reflection further, "Have you done a girl's hair before?"

"BARELY." Papyrus beams, and he goes to say something more, but stops himself. You take a harsh breath, full of knowing.

"Well, I can't thank you enough! I couldn't have done this myself, like, ever."

"WILL YOU BE WEARING MAKE-UP?" Papyrus inquires. "I'D MUCH LIKE TO ASSIST YOU WITH THAT TOO."

"Aw..." You turn to face his big, hopeful eyes, but reluctantly decline his offer. "Papy, I don't think I'll wear any more than what I am now. I like the hair, but this isn't a serious date."

"IT'S NOT?" Papyrus perks up immediately, which is rather strange. 

"No. It'll just be for a bit of fun. Danny and I are old schoolmates and I think this will be more of a friend date than anything." You leave out mentioning how you think that Danny is kind of hot now, and that you're semi-hoping that he takes some aspects of the date seriously.

"IN THAT CASE, I WISH YOU LUCK AND HOPE YOU WILL FIND IT ENTERTAINING."

"I'm sure that'll be the case. You know I bought all of his chocolate this morning to give to you."

"Y-YOU DID?" Papyrus' eyes expand with surprise. "ARE YOU INSANE?"

"I wanted to say sorry." You lower your head. "I don't think I'm so popular around here anymore."

"NONSENSE, HUMAN!" Papyrus grabs and hugs you, and you curl up into him to savour his embrace. "SOON ENOUGH, YOU WILL FEEL LIKE ONE OF US, JUST YOU WAIT."

"But what about Black? And now Red and Sans..."

"(Y/N)" Papyrus lowers his voice a little, and you appreciate it. "Your time will come. I promise."

***

He'd endured the longest conversation in his life with the king just then. He'd had to grin and bear approximately seventeen classic 'dad' jokes, and although he was all for the royal family and jokes in general, Stretch found himself feeling an awful lot like his brother at this point.  
Asgore is a nice monster. He doesn't live in this house with Toriel and Frisk, but he does act like a loving father and as a family man himself, Stretch respects that. On the other hand, he did not enjoy a full two hours of being talked at about a failed marriage.  
He feels exhausted, emotionally as well, and kind of sick because stress after eating isn't the best thing in the world.  
He needs to find Blue, but he knows his brother won't appreciate an embarrassingly scruffy appearance on a normal day, let alone one where he is attending a royal party.  
Instead of running to cling to someone, Stretch stands back and assumes a secluded position against the wall, admiring the architecture of the marvellous ambassador's building.  
It was built recently, although it has every mark of an old mansion from the pre-nineteen hundreds.

The white walls and white light combined tire him, and he starts to fall asleep standing up.

Meanwhile, his thoughts drift around from spot to spot: he thinks on finding a job like Sans to help the income, and then as far as finding food and coffee even though he's full. He thinks about Blue and then mentally explores the living room again, before finally settling on the subject of you.  
He hasn't seen you in a while, and he misses you.  
He played you a bad song, he admits to it. He remixed it up and took the edge of the whole cringe-factor of the original lyrics...and yet he thinks he could have chosen better. The song he chose was obvious, and it wasn't intelligent either. His brows flatten into a frown, and he sighs. If he had known that you weren't so typical... 

He misses you a lot.  
Why did you so suddenly drift away? After he sang for you, after Russ took you home, after Blue dated you...  
Why didn't he hold on, that's the better question. Of course you distanced yourself, you have work and a life and you can't go around attending parties with skeletons on their pleasure.  
Still, he realises that you must feel insignificant or used.  
He wants so badly another chance to do it right, and to gently work you into his grasp so that he can express to you, what he thinks he feels.

But then, he has his suspicions.  
He's seen the way Red's presence makes you shiver and blush, and he's seen the way you so willingly went outside with Black that time it snowed.  
Inside he hurts, but in his head, he tries to convince himself that you could like him just as much as Black or Red or anyone. He wants to make you blush too, and he wants to take you outside and maybe kiss you like Russ did so spontaneously.

Stretch's eyes flick over to the skeleton in address, who is leaning on the couch arm talking to Frisk. Russ' face is one big smirk, and the way he shows a lot of tongue when talking suggests he's trying to seduce.  
How did he do it, and get away with it?  
How did he get away with kissing you? The story bugs Stretch to no end and he's fiercely jealous. At this point, he's tempted just to march right up to your front door and snog you right there on the steps to make a point...  
But that's not the kind of guy he is. He takes things slow.  
Enough of Russ and his notorious skills in the way of the woman, to hell with him! Stretch averts his eyes and smiles a little, because he has a plan.

***

At six, you prised yourself from Papyrus' iron embrace, and ran- rambling about lateness- down to the front door, where you hastily pull on a coat and sling your bag over your shoulder, although careful enough not to spoil your hair.

"I'm sorry, Papy. I really have to go and change before tonight...I'm still so nervous..."

"YOU'LL BE FINE, (Y/N)." Papyrus reassures, and he leans on the doorframe. "I BELIEVE IN YOU."

Your smile breaks out, and you hop down the steps and give him a little wave goodbye.

"I hope you're right." You say, and add a "See you later!" before dashing away.

You live so far away, that you get home at half past, and now you only have a maximum of thirty minutes to change and get to your date. It'll be fine...Papyrus' booming voice still sounds within your brain, and that helps.

You turf through your meagre wardrobe, and pull out outfits and hold them up to yourself.  
What do people wear on dates again?

"Dress?" You look down at the ill-fitting old garment held against your frame and laugh. "God no."

"Skirt? Damn...no. I look like my mom."

"Yeah, I can just wear a vest and underpants...Danny won't mind."

"Shit, I'm not going to a job interview...who bought me this blouse?"

And then you remember, still folded in your bag is the black dress your mother bought you for Christmas, and you fight the zip open and rip out the dress, triumphantly pulling it over your head and struggling the zip up at the back.  
You tie the ribbon around your waist and feel satisfied with the amount of leg showing, and accept the slight polo-neck.  
Black heels, phone and house keys sorted, you're ready to go, and you run out into the street and up towards the corner store, where you find Danny waiting for you: dressed in... slim black jeans, a dress shirt and some brogues. He went smart-casual...you should have known.

"Danny, I'm sorry I'm late..." You begin, but he cuts in with a mocking laugh.

"And overdressed, by the looks of it!"

"Yeah...thanks..." You smoulder quietly, but he takes your arm and then asks;

"Mind if we hold hands? That's what we're supposed to do, right?"

"Um..." You shyly grin and nod, and the smooth, warm feel of a man's hand in yours is just lovely. His softness surprises you after being with skeletons for so long.

As you're walking, you notice how more people smile and less look terrified now that you're with a human man. It's odd, how scared people are of monsters and yet they've been around for years now.  
It also feels nice to be seen as a couple, and nice to have someone with you for a change. Loneliness is a big problem of yours of late...

"Right, we can stop holding hands now." Danny wriggles his hand out of the bond and stops walking. You do too, and stare up at him, puzzled.

"Are my hands that sweaty? I'm so sorry, I-"

"No, it's not that."

"Then what? Are you embarrassed? 'Cus I kinda liked it."

Danny sighs, and a cheeky smile returns to his face as he grabs you by the hand again.

"Come on, let's go find a place to eat and I'll buy you a drink. Sound okay?"

You snicker. "Sure. Wanna go to Grillby's?"

The boy looks perplexed and crosses the road with you before answering.

"That's a monster restaurant, right? How come?"

"I don't know..." You grin, "It'll be fun."

***

"Are you alright, Sans, dear? You look awfully pale." Toriel disturbs Sans from his daydream and he takes a moment to realise she made a pun.

"oh, hahahahhhh, good one, tori."

The woman blushes.  
"But in all seriousness, my dear, you do look quite solemn. Is everything alright?"

Sans shrugs and cracks a classic grin.  
"s'pose so. nice party here, tor, don't worry about me."

The woman lowers her furry head, and entwines a paw within her chunky blue beaded necklace with worry. her brow furrows and lips purse as she consults her inner mother.  
"I suppose...I can't help it." She confesses, "Forgive me. Would you like some more pie?" 

"noooo, tor, i had enough earlier." Sans pats his stomach to gesture, and laughs, however Toriel does not.

"You used to want it all the time." She mutters.

"pardon?"

"My cooking...oh Sans..." Toriel flings herself upon the man, only a little shorter than herself, and grips his sturdy frame to her enormous breast compassionately. "You barely visit these days, since Frisk and yourself..."

"'ey, i said don't worry. i got a big family now an' i gotta work for the house an' food..."

"But you did that before. What changed, Sans?" Toriel pleads, and he can see, amongst the concern of a protective soul, the want in her doughy brown eyes.

"n-nothin', nothin' really. just uh...had a busy time..."

The woman's face drops to a neutral half-grimace, where her teeth are clearly gritted, but her lips attempt to curl and smile. She looks upset.

"Tell me if you need consolation, my dear." She says, and strokes a line down his jaw affectionately before whisking herself away, probably to prepare dessert.

When he was down, Toriel used to bake him things to cheer him up. She liked doing that, and Sans liked it too. When he dated Frisk for that short few months, she would share in the reward for Sans' self-pity, and then she changed. She grew conscious of her image and put herself off her mother's cooking almost entirely. Sans, concerned, tried to persuade Frisk that eating so little wasn't a good idea, and that he preferred her not so thin, but she ignored him, and that moment, where he saw the anger in the young woman's eyes as she turned her head; fluttering her cropped chestnut hair up against her sun-blessed skin, he saw the child from another time, who had plunged a knife into his stomach, and severed his brother's neck at the join.

That...  
That was when he yelled at her, and she broke up with him.  
On the spot, there on the grass, off the path by the fountain.  
She'd yanked his hand from hers, and dug her nails in to hurt him, and he still remembers the sound of her light feet, crunching through the white shale that coats the driveway, and the way she slammed the front door after.

"fuck..." Sans presses the corner of his tie to the edge of his eye socket and groans as he feels it soak up water. "this is stupid...i shouldn't be-"  
A buzz against his thigh tells him someone has sent him a message, and he blinks hard to clear his mind before retrieving his phone.

It's rude to text at a party, but since when did Sans have manners?

TheCoolestBro  
Today, 19:47

BROTHER! YOU'LL NEVER GUESS WHAT!

-ur right, i won't, so lay it on me. what happened?

GOD YOU'RE SO LAZY...  
JUST GUESS, DAMN IT!

-ooh, easy there.  
-howsabout...  
-during an alcohol-induced rage, you accidentally killed red with a spatula?

...

-k, how about...  
-u made not spaghetti for second dinner when i get back?

I MADE YOU NO SUCH THING.  
ONE MORE CHANCE.

-oof  
-alright um...

Sans thinks hard about this. A) Papyrus is excited, and B) It's something worthy enough for him to text Sans about it even though Papyrus is well aware of polite etiquette and would never force Sans to text at a social gathering unless it was an emergency sooooo...

-did you see (y/n)?

His chest feels kind of tight when he sees how fast Papyrus begins typing. He feels like a dick; mourning one relationship whilst thinking of another. It's like...guilt. He feels like maybe he was harsh to shout at Frisk, but that wasn't the reason why she disliked him. She disliked him because he challenged her, and she decided that even though monster ages are useless, because monsters tend to last longer than humans, Sans was like a father to her, and although she had loved him like a partner, she now only saw him as a figure from her past who would always be a reminder of what she did wrong.  
Always.

He had to come to terms with that and move on, and although he now feels some attraction to you, he expects you to feel the same as Frisk, like you'd think he was more of a father than a partner...or a friend.

God damn it. He wants to be stronger and apologise to you, because he wants you back, but your absence has left a hole within him he's scared will get bigger and start to hurt if you reject him again.

But then again, he just can't bring himself to give up just yet.

***

So, a date.  
THE date with THE Danny is in action, and honestly, he just gets more attractive the more you look at him and hear his voice.  
He's so chilled, and his tone is just casual and interesting, like you could listen to him talk forever. He keeps playing with his sandy fringe; a nervous thing- twirling a segment around one finger and then ruffling it up again- and for some reason his nerves make him even cuter, even though his outlook seems confident.  
You're nervous as hell too. Your legs are tightly clamped together and your hands sweaty and clasped.

"This is a really nice place, by the way. I feel really comfortable in here." Danny sits straight and snoops, taking in a cheeky sweep of the restaurant over the booth wall. 

"You do?" You ask, surprised. The lemonade you ordered is really sweet and moreish, and you've finished half the glass and you've only been here ten minutes. You sip the glass again as he responds with another flashing grin.

"Yeah! Monsters are so fascinating, aren't they?"

"Oh! Oh yeah! God, yeah I think it's all really cool." You blush a bit, thinking of magic asses and the wonderfully perfect hands of papyrus you saw so much of today. "Do you know any?"

He thinks for a moment, then shakes his head.

"Dad isn't too keen on them yet. He's...really strict about things. What about you?"

"Me?" You blush harder. "A few."

"A few?! Gee, that's better than none. That's amazing...how did you do it?"

"Well," You laugh a bit, because it is kind of funny. "I met one in the Starbucks on eighth, and I thought he was a Halloween statue."

"What?!" Danny bursts into explosive chuckles. "How?!"

"He looks like...like a human skeleton but um...like...thicker and... shaped about like...I don't know..." You swallow guiltily and drag your line of sight down to your shoes under the table. Danny looks rapt.

"Like, a skeleton-skeleton? That's ace! Like, really. I've never seen one of those."

"You haven't?" You ask, "There are eight that I know of."

"Eight?!" Danny just looks even more inquisitive. "What the hell, hahahah."

"Damn right I know eight." You grin, reflecting his humour and confidence. "I wrote about them in the paper."

"You write for the papers? Cool. Which one?"

"Open City. I only get assignments every so often but-"

"Ooh, Open City?" Danny quirks a brow and purses his lips. "How's that yob of a boss?" He sips his Rum-Cola, shoulders jerking with silent laughter.

"He's shit." You announce bluntly, which causes him to spit out his drink. Entertained, you continue. "He's genuinely such a bastard. You know he can't come into the room without taking the mick out of me. Every time."

"HAH." Danny stands up. "Same here, actually." 

"Wait- your dad, right? Why are you getting up?" You hold up a hand as though you might try to stop him leaving but it just sits there, mid-raised, because you could never have the assurance to actually grab him.

"Uh, duh, (y/n). To get food." Danny rolls his eyes and you get up yourself, and hurriedly follow him into the familiar isles of silver platters. 

You've never been here at night before, and the restaurant is much busier than last time. The windows are black and the lights a more cosy yellow. Everything looks shinier and classier, and a man made of fire is serving at the bar, dressed in a shirt with the sleeves rolled to the elbow, a maroon waistcoat and black bow tie. He must be 'Grillby', that owns the place.  
You remember wearing Red's big bomber jacket here, and admiring the residual body heat and the soft fleece of the interior. You remember the walrus match and drinking too much soda because Papyrus brought you everything...  
Ah, that was a strange day.

You eventually sit back down at your booth, and start eating before Danny gets back. When he does, he teases you about how greedy you were to begin without him, but then assures you that he's joking and that the food looks really nice and so he can understand your reasoning.

You learn that Danny is half Korean, and that his hair is natural, much to his amusement.  
He prefers cats to dogs but owned a tortoise that he said he set free into the ocean when he was younger, before realising that he'd been thinking of the wrong shelled animal, and so watched it sink...which was a funny story for a while before he actually got pretty sad about it. 

His favourite food is Haribo peach candy and he can apparently bake really well. His Dad forced him to work in the police force for five years before Daniel dropped out and took up running the shop since his Dad got a back injury, slipping on oranges dropped by a schoolkid who ran away.

The night draws later and later, and it gets better the more tired you become, because Danny starts making more ridiculous jokes, and you have the lack of social awareness to make some yourself.  
Eventually, the place starts to look like it's closing.

"What time is it?" You ask, yawning through a sip of Danny's hot chocolate.

He checks his watch.  
"Ooh, it's quarter to midnight."

"Shit! Are you sure?" You stand up hurriedly. "I have to work in the morning!"

He chuckles and stands up with you, linking his arm in yours.

"Come on." He grins, "I'll walk you home."

"You live there!"

"Hush, and accept, (y/n). Hush and accept."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! If you like this fic then please don't forget to leave kudos or something, and thank you guys so much for all the comments! I know I'm not great at this but I love you all!!!
> 
> Next time we see the aftermath of your evening out with a human man. I wonder how the boys will react? 
> 
> Check out my tumblr too, 'TheFloorIsKetchup' where you can post me whatever in the submissions box and take a gander at how awful I am at life lol.
> 
> Kisses!  
> -Ketch


	15. Work! Work! Work!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (I LIVE!)
> 
> But more importantly, you seem to be finding yourself getting closer to happiness whilst Sans contemplates his choices and Stretch's plan becomes clear.

His head hurt and he felt nauseous, crammed into the back of Edge's car next to Stretch and Blue. This vehicle was designed for style, not space, and being a strongly built monster gave him no advantage at all. Every time the car dipped into a pothole or changed direction, the back seats would be a chorus of the word 'sorry'.

That meeting at the embassy had gone on a lot longer than Sans had expected. It was dark by the time he'd suggested that he and his group went home, and despite Toriel's pleads, everyone agreed that it was a good time to go.

Toriel, she was so worried about him. He wasn't being a narcissist, it was just a plain fact.   
She'd troubled him when she mentioned his relationship with Frisk earlier, and had almost made him regret distancing from the embassy more than he did already.  
And then, that thought of you that'd confused him more. What was that about?  
If there was one thing he learned from being there today, it was that he owed you an apology, one that involved making an effort. 

He doesn't want you in the sense that he loves you, but he wants to find out, and if not, he hopes someone else will.

***

"I just called to say thanks again for a great night!" Danny sounds pretty chipper over the phone this morning, and it makes you smile.

"That's alright. I feel kind of trashy though, I think i had...what, like, three hot chocolates at the end?"

The young man chuckles and you find yourself blushing a bit.

"Yeah, I couldn't believe you drank mine too. Unacceptable!"

"Yeah yeah, rub it in."

"So, can i come visit your den today?"

You're glad you didn't have coffee in your mouth at that moment because if you did you would have spat it out.

"Pff-what?!"

"Can i come to your house? I wanna seeee..."

"No! I'm busy."

Danny imitates a childish whining voice which has you in silent stitches of restrained giggles.

"Pleeaaseee~"

"Daniel Hyun, I demand that you accept my wishes!"

The boy laughs,   
"You don't have to attempt an accent when you say my surname, I won't get mad."

"Shush, leave me alone!" You laugh just a little bit and begin to enjoy how cute you feel. "I am a very busy woman, you know."

"ugh, don't say 'woman', makes me feel old." Danny sighs and seems to resign from pestering you any further. "Okay, I'll leave you be. Have fun, Miss Journalist."

"Bye, Daniel."

"Goodbye, (y/n)."

You hang up, and proceed to copy the notes from your pad up onto the screen, developing them gradually and painfully into fully-fledged paragraphs.

"Man." You lay your head down onto the desk and groan. "This sucks."

***

'MAYOR DECLARES 'PROJECT UNITY' OFFICIALLY UNDERWAY'

'For the last three years, the Monster population has campaigned for equal rights and equal service.   
In 20XX, politicians were afraid of the complications of monster integration, until early this year, when Mayor Byrnes confirmed his consideration of accepting the appeal. During his speech succeeding New Year's Day, Byrnes stated:

"To the best of my ability, I will use my power to make Ebott a place for all."

The speech made headlines on newspapers all over the world, and the OMAP* increased by 15% by the end of the month.  
The contract following this presented an article application movement, which was informally named 'Project Unity' by the general public, and we have heard little about it since.  
Recent developments have been confirmed, regarding the long anticipated begin of introducing monsters into the human system of service. As we speak, the delegates of both human and monster parties prepare to sign the agreement of peace, and begin 'Project Unity'.'

'*OMAP: Official Monster Acceptance Percentage'

Sans rolled up this week's magazine and let out a long, heavy sigh.

"no one ever said it would be easy, huh."

Here in his office, Sans felt uneasy. He knew there were cameras all over the place, and the room was like a hospital ward: white, plain, and unnaturally sterile-smelling.  
He kicked the leg of the desk to spin his chair lazily, and reclined into the fairly-cushy leather back of it to use his paper roll as a telescope.  
As he did, he noticed a title on the inside of the tube that peaked his interest. It was a title he'd read before, and that he was particularly eager to read.

'Ebott Exploits 2018: Independently hosted by the Open City Team'

"heh." He opened the pages up and roughly straightened it out. "can't she just get a bit of credit?"

This article is your article, the latest instalment, the one he expects not to be as intimate and expressive as your last. This was the page you wrote during these baron weeks of very little contact.  
It's only been a month, but damn it feels like more.

He reads through your words, hoping with all he can that it doesn't sadden him. If you sound depressed he'll end up quitting work early from demotivation. Alphys would let him, but that's not the point...   
However, Sans is pleasantly surprised, and his grin turns up into a little smile. God, you're so passionate about your writing. It's something he admires very much.

It's so rare to find a human who genuinely wants to understand monsters like you do. Frisk was the same, and Sans can see how happy you are around his family.   
Maybe one day he can introduce you to the rest of the monsters he knows, and Frisk too...eventually.   
He still doesn't know how to feel when it comes to her. Will be ever speak with her again?   
Maybe, but will he ever be forgiven?

Maybe not.

***

A fierce knocking jumps you awake, and your headphones fall off and clatter onto the keyboard noisily.

"(Y/n)~! It's Pam, sweetie!"

Your landlady? Why is she visiting? Rent isn't due until the end of the month!

"Just a minute!"

You wipe your sleepy eyes and stumble to the door, fumble with the lock and crack it open.

"Hey, Mrs. Sylvestre, I thought rent wasn't due yet-"

"I'm not here on business, dear, I wanted to escort your friend here! He very nicely asked to see you so I let him in via the office downstairs."

"Who?!" Noticing the mischief within the stout old woman's tone, your face started to burn a little bit.

"Hey, can I?...Can I just get through-ah, thanks...Hi, (y/n)!"  
Danny squeezes past your landlady and pops into view, a huge grin on his face as he beams at you through the doorway.

"DANIEL?!" You shriek, and clap a hand over your mouth to shut you up. "WHAT THE-"

"I'll leave you two to your deeds and be on my way. If you need anything I'll be downstairs."

Mrs. Sylvestre gave a little knowing chuckle and caused you to blush harder and begin to blurt out an explanation, but before you could, Danny had already wandered into your apartment and was rummaging through your fridge.

"Hey!" You stomp inside and shut the door. "Danny!"

"Sorry for the intrusion, Rebecca." He chirps in an over-the-top 1940s American accent, "I just, needed a chance to see you..."

You shake your head and laugh. When did Danny get so silly? He was never like this as school. You kind of like it.

"Shut up, Danny, I know why you're here."

"Hm?" He feigns innocence, and got cross your arms to be sassy.

"You're trying to snoop on my work, aren't you?"

The boy smirks and slides over to your desk, overzealously craning to look at the screen.

"Hmmm..." he taps his chin. "'Who would believe that such a small city would become the talk of the world in just three years? Although our monster miracle brought us popularity, it will also bring us togejfvsyjgcjildgnil.'...Hm...very enlightening."

"Oh my God, get away from there!" You laugh and push him out of the way to get to your seat. "I can't believe how goddamn nosy you are!"

"Hardly." Danny perches on the edge of the desk while you carry on writing. "It's basically just reading the paper. What's wrong with that?"

"You never know," you tease, "Might have been porn."

Danny's dark brown eyes grow wide and he makes a comic grimace.

"You write porn?"

"If you leave, I'll tell you." You snigger and he joins in, but his chuckles are a little nervous.

"Don't dick around like that, (y/n), jesus."

"No, I mean it, leave and I'll tell you."

"It's gonna be a disappointing answer anyway, I might as well stay."

You laugh/sigh, and look up at him. He's looking at you from above like a beautiful, blond angel, and it makes you feel strange.

"I wrote some once. ONCE!" You clarify, trying not to burst out laughing for real. "And it was the worst thing I have ever done."

Danny stays quiet for a moment, and then simply blurts: "HAH!" before falling into reams of giggles that make you feel all proud and happy inside.

Maybe you can be happy with Danny instead of chasing after skeletons for the rest of your life?   
It certainly feels that way, looking at him now while you feel what you're feeling.

***

"I AM SICK OF BEING STUCK IN THIS HOUSE!" Black shouts, enunciating his words to show how wholly pissed off he is. "ALL WE DO IS HANG HERE, DOING NOTHING! WE GO OUT A FEW TIMES A MONTH AND WE HAVE TO GO AT NIGHT OR TO A PRIVATE PLACE!"

"we must respect the embassy's wishes, m'lord." Russ mumbles from the leather couch, staring at the game Blue is playing on the TV.

"THE EMBASSY?!" Black rages from the kitchen, and appears to be reheating burritos with fury. "IT'S THAT BASTARD SANS! THE ONE WE CALL 'OG' AND YET, WHO DECIDED THAT, HUH? WHO FUCKING DECIDED HE WAS SUPPOSED TO RULE OVER US?!"

"we did, m'lor-"

"HE DID! THAT FUCKING LAZY BASTARD HAS US ALL TRAPPED IN THIS CAGE! HE HAS NO RIGHT TO COMMAND US AND TELL US WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO!"

Russ looks over at Blue's face and takes a deep breath whilst he chooses his next sentence carefully. He can see how scared Blue is by the sudden conflict, and he can't imagine anyone else is enjoying it either. 

"my lord, if i can be so bold, i am sure it would be more strategic of us to stay as we are anyhow."

The kitchen falls silent, and then Black's burly but elegantly dressed figure emerges.

"WH-WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"

"i mean," Russ continues, smiling a bit at his success. "if we want to have freedom, it would be best and most honourable to ensure the safety of our people before we consider ourselves.

"I...I STILL DON'T FOLLOW YOU, BROTHER. THIS WORLD IS NOT OURS, YOU REALISE."

"i understand your turmoil, m'lord, but if you are a true leader, you must lead whomever you can to victory. you told me that yourself."

"I DID?"

"mhm." Russ' smile widens slightly. "by minimalising our presences, we are protecting our people and accelerating our chances of true freedom. that's what you want, right, sir?"

Black's eyes dilate into fuzzier pink rings as he processes what his brother just told him. Like a computer handling a difficult task, he spaces out for a second to think.

"I...SEE...INDEED!" He chuckles heartily and marches back into the kitchen, much more content than before. "I AM A TRUE LEADER, AFTER ALL."

Stretch shuffles into the living room from upstairs and leans over his brother's shoulders as the younger skeleton games.

"hey bro." He says, making Blue jump.

"AGH! PAPY! YOU SUCK!"

Stretch persists.

"hear me out, though. you'll never guess what i did~"

"I DO NOT WANT TO KNOW!" Blue's button pressing gets more intense and he frowns deeply.

"but ya dooo~" Stretch stands up and plants his hands on his hips with pride. "i got a job."

"A WHAT?!" Blue whips around and drops the remote, a look of raw shock on his round features.

"a job, little bro. at starbucks."

Every monster in the room, including Black, gawks at Stretch's confession like he'd admitted to killing someone.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" Black says warningly.

Smug, Stretch explains. 

"i'm gonna go work at starbucks, the one downtown. have y'all been paying attention? also, i heard that (y/n) likes to go there a lot from sans, what about that?" Stretch doesn't even try to hide his overwhelming feelings of triumph as his chest swells with self-gratification and his gaze glides to look at Russ, who immediately pretends to not care and be looking at something else after literally staring with wide, infuriated eyes. 

"it's such a coincidence, don't you think?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! And especially to those who urged me to carry on writing this!   
> As infuriating as it is for me to continue when the date is way back in February when it's actually the end of summer, I shall go on! Mwa ha ha haaah!
> 
> As always, don't forget to comment or leave kudos if you'd like, and I hope you all have a great day!


	16. Coincidence and Expectation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your world is beginning to change. With a new perspective dawning, it's time to make some bold decisions.

Friday: the end of the week, you're only a day away from freedom, but also a weekend away from a horrid deadline you're sure to miss.

 

"God dangit." You cry, and flex your stiff fingers after a long night of typing and editing, going back to paragraphs from an hour before, changing vocabulary, tenses and switching comparisons before realigning the text and reapplying the necessary text mods to make the document look professional.  
It's such a drag, but on the other hand, you do have Danny.  
He's been a real hero to you this past week. He comes and visits every day before and after he takes his shift at the shop. He lets himself in, and always brings his cheeky grin and snappy sense of humour. Although when he's around you don't get much work done. He makes you lunch or sits beside you, sometimes he will sit with crossed legs like an agile pixie and mess about with his phone, typing with both thumbs which is kinda cute to watch.  
He bites his lip when he's thinking about something, and it's a habit you accidentally caught off him somehow. You feel pretty in-sync with Danny at the moment, especially today.

"What's up?" He looks up from his phone. "Stressed?"

"Ya." You stretch and sigh, crumpling back into your seat. "Deadline's on Monday."

Danny slides off the bed and sits on the floor next to you. You look down at his head and snort.

"What's that supposed to do?"

"I don't know." He smiles, playing mobile piano absently, "Maybe you'll absorb my good vibes or something."

"Hah, alright then."

Shaking your head with a grin, you resume working. Somehow, feeling the warmth of Danny's body next to your legs and hearing his breathing is really soothing to you. Your motivation doesn't improve, but you feel like you could write steadily for a while longer with him beside you.

Later, he has to leave for work, and for the first time since your little date, he gives you a hug on the way out. 

"Good luck, (y/n)." He smiles, and then hurries downstairs and bursts out the front door to sprint across the street. 

You observe him from the window, and rest your chin in your hands, gazing out at that familiar scenery.  
The hedges have started to sprout little green shoots, and the slush from all the snow is little more than a memory now.  
The day is bright but the sky is grey, and therefore you remain relaxed enough to get to work.

"The rain's started." You mutter, and drag yourself back to the grindstone, where you spend the next hour writing, but end up falling asleep at the keyboard again.

***

A monster like himself couldn't stand out any more really.  
He wore the uniform, he talked the talk, but at the end of the day he was still a freak to these people.

Stretch learned to work the tills pretty fast, especially as he'd figured out how to use magic to assist him when multitasking.  
He'd been given a handy permit, one that granted him use of magic in the workplace under a specific measure.  
Measuring magic in watts was just something temporary the labs had come up with to make things universal. Magic of a certain power could be deemed dangerous, so these work permits had a boundary of 500 watts, about enough to power a small kitchen appliance if needed.  
This made Stretch a popular candidate for hiring when he submitted his application to Starbucks.  
He'd anticipated that this would be the case. As Starbucks was one of the few large franchises that dared accept monsters within their premises, Stretch would be safe to find work there.  
A coffee house also required employees with high skills in multitasking and social agility.  
Being able to use telekinesis, Stretch predicted there would be no chance of failing his interview. His skills would undoubtedly boost the sales efficiency of the store.

Basking in his own genius, he used his magic to polish the surfaces down whilst waiting for more customers to arrive.  
Today had been pretty quiet. There were about four people in the cafe at a time, seven around lunch time. As the hours passed, Stretch began to wonder if he'd see you anytime soon.  
After all, it's why he asked for the job in the first place.  
That and the free coffee, which he could load up with syrups and chug whenever he liked.

"Ice green tea, please. Take out."

Stretch jumps awake at the woman's voice, but visibly droops once he realises that he doesn't know who it is.  
The woman is fairly tall, very slim, and darkish dyed red hair in a wavy ponytail. 

"Medium or large?"

"Whatever." Looking at her phone, she gives him a dismissive hand and Stretch rolls his eyes.

"Be ready in a second. That'll be $2.25"

She moves to lean against the serving counter to wait after scanning her card and ignores how the fridge opens by itself, and the clear plastic cup sails through the air, filling with ice and tea without anyone touching it.  
A mother and her little boy watch the process with smiles on their faces, whispering to each other. At least they get it.

 

"Order up." Stretch passes the woman her drink and she doesn't look up to say thanks, just mutters her thanks and hurries off, glued to her screen.

Maybe, he thinks, she was embarrassed or scared of him serving her. He knows some humans are just a bit funny around monsters still, but on the other hand, it's quite possible that she was just a work-obsessed queen of the basic culture, purchasing the calories she needs to survive in the most minimal way possible.

He sighs, and feels like falling asleep. If the manager didn't play such chill radio in here he might not feel so tired.

Yawning, his eyes glance out the front windows, and a smile breaks over his features.

There you are.

Finally.

***

The natural conclusion to your lack of energy is that you require caffeine.  
Specifically, the coffee kind.  
A large cup, with two shots of hazelnut syrup- if possible. You can't remember if they keep the Christmas ingredients this late into the following year, but it doesn't matter too much.

Before you can enter the cafe, Jodie bursts outside and puts away her phone in her handbag. You almost crash into her, but manage to swerve out of the way just in time.

"Woah! Sorry!" 

Jodie looks at you, and weirdly enough, she smiles.

"Hey! (Y/n)! It's good to see you."

For a second you remain stunned, and accidentally blurt:

"Really? I mean, it's good to see you too."

Jodie finishes sipping at her tea and smiles with her eyes too.

"Coming back to the office any time soon? Arkwright has been on-edge all week!" She laughs and you feel like you shouldn't join in but you try to a little.

"Yeah. I'm hoping this independent research thing will end soon."

It turns out that having a real conversation with Jodie is impossible, because she simply cackles and taps you on the shoulder whilst throwing your own quote back at you and saying her goodbyes all too quickly.

"Oh, why though? I thought the monster population was 'simply brilliant'?"

"Uh..."

"I best be off, this new stuff in politics is really messing everyone up. See you!"

"Um..." By the time you reply to that, she's away.

"Bye."

Kind of pissed, you push into Starbucks finally and receive another surprise.

"Stretch?"

"y/n!" The lanky skeleton is barely recognizable. For once he's in clothes that fit him, but it seems areas like the tee shirt sleeves and his chest fit the fabric better than the rest. He looks good- you know, like, smart. Obviously he isn't quite like Sans yet in the sense that he doesn't go out of his way to be lazy and half-break the rules so that he gets away with being scruffy. "haven't seen you in so long. how are ya? can i take your order?"

Smiling, you respond, and find great joy in watching Stretch's orange-hued magic negotiate with the barista's kitchen behind his back. His color is like Papyrus', except more of an apricot-like shade rather than Papy's fierce pumpkin orange.

You tell him about your independent studies of monsters, and he chuckles at that, handing you your drink.

"wanna run some tests on me whilst you're here?"

"Pfft!" You grin, "What's that supposed to mean?"

He shrugs. "i dunno, i'll let you poke around in my skull if you come visit me and the boys tomorrow. we'll throw a-"

"Party?" You finish, accidentally sounding quite bitter. Stretch seems taken aback.

"yeah? i mean, or not...jeez um..."

You close your eyes and sip your drink. It's too hot but you can bear it.

"What kind?"

"hm?"

"What kind of party?"

Stretch's eyes kind of gloss over, and he spaces out for a second as he drifts into a complex thought process where he evaluates his next response. 

"uuuh...like a...welcome back party i guess. we can...get some drinks, mess about or whatever. blue keeps sayin' he really misses you, ya know."

"He does?"  
It is your turn to space out slightly. Maybe you were too harsh to assume everyone just wanted you to spice up their house parties. Maybe...maybe everyone would actually really love to see you again. You have to admit, right now, you don't remember why you were ever even slightly mad at the boys. Was it because of Sans? Still, he was sorry, and you suddenly feel quite guilty.

Swallowing that guilt, your lips creep up into a happy smile, and Stretch mirrors that.

 

"yeah. we all do. even red mentions how he regrets bein' so blind around ya all the time. i mean, i regret playin' ya that godawful song heheh."

You giggle and lean on the counter and he relaxes onto his elbows, cheekily looking off through the window. 

"It wasn't so bad when you guys played it."

 

"pfft," Stretch fondly watches you take a sip of your drink and recoil at the temperature. "no more sleezy crap from now on, honey. i promise."

"Sure." You joke, but he becomes incredibly sincere.

"no, really. please, just come around tomorrow. it's saturday right? i don't have a shift, neither does sans...hey, you can't be working then either right?"

You sigh, thinking. 

"I guess...? Maybe I could come by in the evening. I have a deadline on Monday-"

"great! gee, hun, you have no idea how happy this makes me."

"We'll see." You remark, thinking about how dangerous this could be. Going around to the bro's house? What about Danny...are you going out with him? For real?  
Would he disapprove of this? More to the point, is it morally wrong of you to, knowing that the skeletons in question have all had a bit of a moment with you at some point. Can they be trusted? Can you trust yourself?

Within a short moment, some kind of bright bulb of clarity manifests in your mind. It suddenly feels like the clouds of worry are clearing, or like the sun has come out behind your eyes. You feel lighter, more lucid, and it gives you a shiver.

Before, all the thoughts and opinions within your head had been so muddy and confused, and yet you hadn't been aware until now.

Holding yourself back is never going to make you happy, and overthinking everything isn't going to make you friends. Choking up on all the problems in your life will never fix them, and ignoring them won't either.  
Wasting time never saved anything,  
Messing around never clarified anything,  
and kissing someone never killed anyone.

What you have to do, you know now.  
It's so simple.

You just have to be you. You just have to be real.

"(y/n)?" Stretch gently touches your arm to wake you from your daydream. "what's up? you fall asleep with your eyes open? 'cause if ya did, don't worry...sans does that all the time-"

"I'm fine." You smile warmly at him, and casually take hold of his hand and squeeze it. He blushes lightly and cracks a smile.

"woah, alright then." He chuckles, standing up. Stretch reclaims his hand and watches you take a more hearty sip from your drink. "did you talk to god or somethin'? is tha coffee too strong?"

"Shut up~" You grin, "I don't really know, maybe...maybe I've just realized something really important."

"just then?"

"Yeah. I think I understand what you meant that one time, Stretch."

"huh?" The skeleton stares dumbly and his eyes flicker to the opening of the front door. He gets distracted by serving the new customer and you back away from the counter to let them through. "(y/n)...hold that thought. hi, ma'am, what can i get for you?"

You pull a mischievous expression and dash for the door. Stretch struggles to pay attention to the customer and reaches for you in a 'wait' gesture as he hurriedly types into the register and attempts to multitask.

"See you tomorrow!" Your smug smile is brimming with false innocence as you push out the store and head off home down the street.

Stretch sighs, and can't help but smirk. He likes that version of you: the one that's all confident and sassy.

He hopes this 'you' is here to stay.

***

Orange Boy  
16:42

-getting off work soon. i'll never forgive u btw

You  
16:45

Hah! dw, it wasn't that important. I'm excited for tomorrow you know.

-hey! that's great, hun.  
-you seemed reluctant at first. :C

Ya, but never fear! Also, can I bring a friend?

-woah, u have friends?

¬_¬

-heheheh, jkjk  
-who?

His name's Danny  
Works in a store

-lol sure  
-he cool with monsters?

Probably lol  
I imagine he might be a bit spooked at you guys at first tho like I was

-that's great, hun  
-i'll tell the guys when i get back.

Ok  
See you!

-heh yeah

***

Stretch stares at that conversation intensely, gripping the phone a little too firmly.

What is this feeling in his chest? It's like he's been hit in the ribs, but why?

Is it the mention of this Danny guy?

But why? This shortness of breath, this urge to become upset and why?

He sighs, and turns off his screen. He'll be allowed to go home soon.

 

'getting jealous will only push her away' He thinks, and subconsciously plans tomorrow evening very carefully. If Danny is her date, then he has to respect that. More importantly, everyone else has to as well. 

He wonders how the others will take this, seeing as they all seem to act a little funny around you anyway. He senses this Danny person could turn out to be a total spanner in the works, and prays to god that, for his sake, he is not.

***

You're proud of what you've done.

Looking into the mirror, the brightest version of you seen in years shines back with a gleeful expression and cheeks flushed with excitement. Your makeup looks good, and your face looks happy.

Nothing can hold you back today. Whilst you buff out the freckles and tired lines of your face with a blending sponge, your mind wanders between each subject you must address tonight. 

Today is Saturday, and yet you worked your ass off earlier to get your report in early. So what if you sacrificed a bit of your content quality? You're sure Jodie can fix it up nicely like she usually does anyway.

Most importantly, you invited Danny to visit the skeleton house after telling Stretch yesterday over the phone, and honestly you couldn't be happier with his response. Danny seemed genuinely really desperate to meet your friends and to talk to them. He said how his dad had always scorned people who socialized with monsters, and that he'd be proud to rebel against that oppressive behavior.

You meet him outside your apartment; he's dressed in slim cut jeans and a cute grey sweater, whilst you wear an outfit a little too overdressed, in a shirt you call your 'domestic' top.  
Still, he compliments you, and offers to take your hand.

For once you catch a taxi to the skeletons' neighborhood, and it feels so good retracing the same steps you would normally take on foot in a car instead.

Finally, just as it gets to seven PM, you're showing off for Danny by knocking on the ominously presented door whilst he cowers at the base of the steps like a kid playing a knocking prank for the first time.

"It's gonna be fine." You say, beckoning him up to stand next to you. "Most of them won't bite."

Without checking his face, his expression is mappable even in your peripheral. He looks like he's trying to figure out whether you are joking or not, and it makes it funnier that you don't really know yourself.

The door swings open, and before you know who opened it they crush you in their arms.

"Blue!" You grin, laughing while struggling to stand under his weight. "Great to see you!"

The boisterous skeleton draws back and beams at you, giving an amusing salute. 

"LIKEWISE, (Y/N). STARS, WE MISSED YOU SO MUCH, HAH!"

You blush bashfully but are quick to exhibition the boy to your right. Grabbing his arm, he's forcibly pulled into the limelight.

"This is Danny! He's been really excited to meet you."

Stunned by the monster beheld before him, Danny stammers a greeting and shakes hands with Blue, who appears to half-destroy the poor man's arm in his enthusiasm.

"H-howdy...Mister..."

"GREAT TO MEET YA!" Blue smiles with his eyes and bundles the two tiny humans under his arms to get them in the door as fast as possible. He closes the door and you feel so at home seeing this living room again.

"FIRST THING'S FIRST!" Blue marches into the kitchen and Daniel gawps in wonder at the other skeleton he sees emerging from the stairwell hallway. It's Sans, dressed in a white sweatshirt and comfy looking jeans. He looks sleepy, with his hands in his pockets.  
Behind him is his brother. 

Papyrus is delighted to become acquainted with Danny, but as he shakes hands there's a flicker of sadness in his face.  
Despite this, Papyrus perks right up as soon as his eyes fall on you.

"(Y/N)!" He gushes, "I NEED YOUR OPINION ON SOMETHING!"

"Hm?" Surprised, you nod. "Sure. What is it?"

"WELL," Pulling out his phone, Papyrus explains, flicking through pictures of dogs. "MY BROTHER WOULDN'T ASSIST ME IN THIS, BUT I AM SURE YOU WILL. YOU SEE, RUSS AND BLACK WANT A DOG, BUT EDGE WOULD RATHER A CAT AND BLUE AND STRETCH DON'T PARTICULARLY WANT EITHER. SO AS THE POLLS GO, WE MUST GET A DOG...AND I WOULD BE FINE WITH THIS...BUT I HAVE A GREAT FEAR OF DOGS! AND CATS...THEY MAKE ME SNEEZE."

The poor skeleton is blushing profusely over this confession, staring at a photograph of a small white pomeranian. His cheek bones blaze a solid tangerine color and he starts to sweat.

"You're afraid of dogs?" You inquire softly, ignoring Danny's sudden outburst of a giggle as he realizes why. It is rather comical.

"INDEED." Papyrus appears to be dying of embarrassment. "THEY THINK I AM EDIBLE!"

"Well..." You grin, "I guess you guys can't have any pets then. Plus, I don't think there would be any room in here if you did!"

 

"EXCELLENT CHOICE, (Y/N)!" Papyrus bounces back and his chest swells. "NOW THAT THAT'S SETTLED, I'LL GO AND MAKE TEA."

"See you, Papy."

Danny leans into your ear and mumbles: "They're so big!" 

 

"I know." You say, "Isn't it cool?!"

Sans approaches, and you plunge yourself into his chest and give him a quick hug.

"hey..." The skeleton pats your back drowsily and yawns a bit. "good ta see ya, kid."

His eye sockets widen at the sight of Danny, who is pretending not to stare.

"who's this?"

"It's Danny. He's the guy you should thank for all that chocolate I gave you guys on valentines."

"he is? wait, but we didn't-"

"AH. ABOUT THAT!" Papyrus, returning, distributes mugs of tea around the circle and sighs. "I REGRET TO TELL YOU THAT WHILST MY BACK WAS TURNED, A CERTAIN RED-EYED CHARACTER MIGHT HAVE THWARTED ME WITH WORD PLAY AND TRICKERY, AND STOLEN THE BAG..."

You hold back your laughter, and Sans looks unsurprised.

"A dog?" Danny offers.

"NOT QUITE." Papyrus seems fairly amused, and Sans' mouth turns up slightly. "ALTHOUGH, ONE MIGHT SAY HE IS SIMILAR TO ONE IN NATURE."

"Wait...so who-"

Danny doesn't get to finish his sentence, because lo and behold Red enters the room as if on queue. 

He has his hand behind his head with a certain look of distress on his features as he scans the floor searchingly. 

"hey has anyone seen my-" He makes eye contact with Danny, and the room falls into a really awkward silence whilst they just...stare each other down. 

You wonder what is going through their heads as this happens. You're embarrassed to have to take ownership of Danny, seeing as he should really be more respectful.  
However, perhaps the sudden paleness of his skin and the amount of white showing in his eyes is a clear indication of fear rather than rude interest.  
You have to admit, if you ever thought up something monstrous in your head before, it would have sharp teeth and red eyes, pointed features all around and a physique that looks like it could easily hunt you down and kill you.

But, surely Dan isn't such a pussy, right?

Apparently not, and Daniel shrinks back.

"Okay...that is scary as hell!" The boy can't take his eyes off Red, who's eyes flash and teeth smirk in a way that can only be described as hauntingly up-to-no-good. 

"ey, i've been called worse. ya should see my brother." Red grins, swaggering up to the circle. "what's up, sweetheart?"

"Red." You roll your eyes and give Danny a small punch to the arm. "He isn't as scary as he looks."

At that, Red crosses his arms and sighs. 

"AS I WAS SAYING." Papyrus interjects after taking an elongated sip of tea. "RED ATE EVERYTHING YOU LEFT US, (Y/N), AND I AM SO SORRY FOR LETTING HIM." 

Sans chuckles and tries to hide it under his sleeve, but his smile is so wide that it barely makes a difference.

"AND WHEN WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE DIETING TOO! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!"

"heheh...paps...sorry ta burst ya bubble but...heheheh...none of us really stuck to that plan."

Sans and red share giggles and you want to laugh too, but poor Danny's eyes haven't left Red's skull for quite some time, and he looks a bit uncomfortable.

"Dan? You okay?"You gently touch his shoulder.

"if ya need ta sit down, man, be our guest." Sans helpfully suggests, and gestures to the sofas, but Daniel shakes his head. 

"No no...I'm fine! Hah, wow...you guys are really something. I mean that in a good way. Are there more of you?"

Sans smiles a bit, 

"a few."

"Where are they anyway? So far we've only seen Blue and you guys." You scan the hallway searchingly for more characters to pop up.

"AHA!" Blue jumps out of the kitchen, his hoodie tied around his waist, apron-fashion. "I'LL ANSWER THAT!" His hands are covered in flour and so are his cheeks, which he hastily brushes off on his sleeves. "THEY WENT OUT TO BUY SUPPLIES! WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING IN THE HOUSE EXCEPT BAKING STUFF!"

"What are you baking, Blue?" You ask him, and he looks bashful.

"I AM ATTEMPTING TO BAKE SOME KIND OF CAKE I FOUND ONLINE...ALTHOUGH PEOPLE MIGHT CONSIDER BAKING AS SOMETHING...NOT MASCULINE...I ENJOY TREATING MY FRIENDS MORE THAN ANYTHING! AND THAT MAKES A MAN, DOESN'T IT, (Y/N)?"

You smile and nod your head.

"Well duh. Everyone can see that you're a strong, Blue."

To your surprise, Blue seems offended. You wonder, that maybe he's insecure inside about his identity.  
It seems apparent, now more so than ever, that what Blue shows to others is more of a fun, laughable cutesy facade. Perhaps inside, he wants to be mature and traditionally masculine like his other brothers.  
Out of all of them, you see Blue as the most young-acting. Maybe he isn't what he appears to be.  
And, even if he is,  
It's likely that he no longer wishes to be that character.

"W-WELL THEN! I'LL GET BACK TO IT!"

"Want some help?" Danny asks suddenly, and Blue's eye lights grow small and perplexed.

"I GUESS?" 

Daniel, clearly trying to escape Red, follows Blue back into the kitchen.

Catching up with everyone else is easy. All you have to do is stand and listen.

Papyrus mentioned becoming a bodyguard for the royal family soon, and you could see the glowing pride in Sans' face when it was mentioned. Papyrus himself actually didn't seem all too fussed until Sans awarded him praise, and you found the whole exchange quite adorable.  
If only someone felt proud of you like that.

Judging by Red's bored, unsmiling lips and his eyes looking off to somewhere else, He feels the same jealousy you do.

Edge and Red's...'dynamic', suggests something very one-sided.  
Like most siblings, you think Red loves his brother quite a bit. You recall that one time where he stood by him in an argument with Black at the table, like he wanted the reassurance.  
Red wants Edge to be proud of him, and to be pleased with what he does, but Edge never seems to care.  
It might be that he's just acting so cold to impress, but judging by how much Red sleeps, and obviously drinks and eats...  
God, it's making you sad to think about but...  
Maybe Edges negligence as a brother is part of the reason Red seems so depressed.

Sure, he'll act all sexy and confident around you, but that never seems to cover up the dark circles beneath his eyes and the apparent urges to find ways to make himself feel happy.  
Whether it's putting others down or whatever the fuck was going through his mind the last time you attended a party here...

Damn.

"'ey...(y/n)?" Red's dark, rough voice calls you back into the room, and your eyes focus onto his. Shit...were you gazing at him the whole time? "tha middle distance over my shoulder is great an' all but-"

"WHAT THE FUCK," Someone sounding suspiciously a lot like Edge screeches from the other side of the front door. "IS UP?!!!"  
He kicks the door in and someone forcefully blows into a party squeaker, so that it kind of breaks at the end and cuts short. 

Blue shoots out of the kitchen and yells, 

"THE CEILING!"

He runs to Stretch who just stepped in the door to give him a huge slap of a high five.

You're screaming internally a little at how much of a shock it all is and your heart is racing like you've just been narrowly missed by a speeding car.

"THIS PARTY WAS PLEASANTLY MUNDANE!" Papyrus scorns, and Sans doesn't seem to know whether to laugh or die from the surprise. He's sort of just...wheezing, and you grab a hold of him and he starts to chuckle then. "WHAT ON EARTH?"

"I'M TIRED OF BEING BORED SHUT UP IN HERE LIKE A CAT IN A CAGE! I NEED SPACE TO SCREAM!" Edge protests, striding across the living room to the kitchen with an armful of pizza boxes. "SPEAKING OF CATS..."

"WE AREN'T GETTING ANYTHING!" Papyrus answers. "(Y/N) RESPECTS ME, LIKE AN ADULT!"

"FUCKING HELL!" Edge's voice is still loud even when he's in another room.

Russ slides up behind you, and exhales pretty gushes of smoke from the crevices of his face, including the scar over his eye. It looks pretty badass if anyone were to ask you.

"Heya, Russ!" You beam, and his smirks down at you. "I haven't seen you in a while."

The skeleton's rugged face doesn't change from sly, and his eyes flicker down to your mouth for a second, making you blush.

"likewise, darlin'." He says. "missed ya."

"YES, I'M SURE YOU DID." Edge returns, full of spite still. "(Y/N), I AM SORRY, BUT IF I HAD A DOLLAR FOR EVER TIME ONE OF THESE JOKERS ACTED LIKE A TOTAL THOT I'D BE A RICH SKELETON!"

Sans breaks, and as his deep, rapturous laughter vibrates against you through the arms you use to grip him still, the sound fills your chest and your stomach, it makes you feel so good for some reason.  
Wow...now come to think of it, you haven't felt or heard this in so long. Damn you love his voice.

In a few seconds, the giggles have welled up inside too much, and you too catch Sans' explosive laughter.

Papyrus even, is biting his sleeve to shut himself up, his face so flushed he looks like he might have stopped breathing properly.

Edge is not amused.

"THERE IS NOTHING FUNNY ABOUT YOUR DISGUSTING FLIRTING HABITS! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!"

"and you totally didn't try and get (y/n) to be sexually afraid of you, huh edgelord?" Stretch comments casually.

"Wh-what?!!" You squeak, crying with laughter. Sans clutches his stomach and you manage to splutter, "I think...hah...I think we're losing Sans...."

That only makes him worse, and Edge's crude scowl falters for a second there. 

"BROTHER, PLEASE!" Papyrus pleads, but his mouth is smiling too much for his words to sound sad.

Thankfully, you can get Sans to the couch before he collapses and to your surprise, he pulls you down with him, forcing you to clumsily fall into his lap where he cuddles you so hard it's comparative to even the likes of Papyrus or Blue.

"Ack!" You screech at Sans' bold move, and scramble to get off him, but he seems to really be enjoying hugging you, so...  
Well, you guess you're stuck; pinned by strong arms to Sans' warm, comfy stomach.

What a shame.

"ARE WE EATING IN HERE TONIGHT?" Blue wanders into the room, closely followed by Danny, who spies you and rushes over to sit. He seems a tad alarmed by your position and you feel kind of guilty, however Danny finds the humor in it thankfully.

"I didn't know you had so many skeletons with benefits, (y/n)." He snickers.

Someone passes him a pizza box overhead and he realizes it's Russ: someone new, and he swallows thickly.

"(Y/n)..." The young man slowly turns to look up at you.

"Yeah, babe?" You tease, making him roll his eyes.

"How many skeletons...are there?"

"Eight." You state plainly, as though it was just common knowledge.

"EIGHT?!" Danny flushes brightly and tears open the pizza box and assumes stuffing his face with great enthusiasm. "You guysh are sho cool!" He says to Sans, his mouth full. You shake your head and pretend to be annoyed by his manners, but Sans doesn't seen to care.

"heh." Sans squeezes your waist just a little harder. "'cool'."

"yeah yeah, we're fuckin' gorgeous." Red grumbles, and swipes the box off Danny's lap. 

"Red~ are you okay?" You inquire, and the red eyed skeleton looks boredly at you under his eyelids.

"yeah, red...gosh, you're so tense~" Stretch pops up behind him and starts massaging his shoulders, digging into the thick bone-like structures of his neck and upper arms.

"h-hey! HEY! GET OFF ME YA FUCKIN'-GAH!" Cheeks burning and his temper enraged, Red does his best to forcibly beat Stretch away from him, but the latter mischievously backs off before a punch can hit him in the jaw like it nearly does. "YOU'RE SUCH AN ASSHOLE, YA KNOW THAT?!" Red curses, and stuffs more pizza into his face before calming down a bit.

You look across to Danny, who's eyes are locked on his feet and his hands clasped in his lap. He looks troubled.

"Hmm." You pat Sans' wrist to ask him to ease off a bit so you can get up. He complies, and immediately starts demanding food from Russ who has decided to spectate from the kitchen doorway.

"Red?" The skeleton in address glares at you. "Can I talk to you in a minute?"

Red sighs heavily, and drops the empty box of pizza. 

"fine. shoot."

"Not here." Gently, your fingers touch his arm. "Outside."

Red raises an eyebrow, and makes a clicking noise with his tongue. 

"Sure, sweetheart, just...lemme grab a beer first, yeah?"

"Alright. See you on the porch."

He nods and sticks his hands moodily into his pockets before going down to the basement.

"Danny?" You pull him to his feet with a little encouragement. "Can I see you a second? In the bathroom?"  
As Danny doesn't seem to be having such a good time because of Red, you figure taking Red away will give him a chance to make good friends with the others, and...to cheer him up, you're going to do something you would never have dreamed of a few days ago.

You're going to use the same 'medicine' Russ gave you at work last year.

Sans' eye lights flicker to look at you, and his mouth pulls up into a grin at the corners, but you ignore him and Danny agrees to come with you. Half way up the staircase, he starts to speak.

"H-hey (y/n), I actually...have been meaning to tell you something. Can I...I mean...I think now would be a good time to."

"Sure, Dan." You smile, and take him by the arm and bustle into the bright white box of the bathroom.

"(Y/n), I-"

Planting a little kiss on his cheek, your chest fills with self gratification and anticipation, as you lean in again to grant what Danny's wishes-  
However, an inch from where his lips should be, your face meets with the rough surface of the young man's hard working hands. You're kissing his palm!

"Eheh...(y/n)...wait up a second." He says, hiding a little bit of laughter by biting his lip. "(Y/n)...I gotta tell you. I'm gay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading!  
> I bet you were all expecting that, huh. ^U^
> 
> I really appreciate the support and love from you guys so much and, I'll try to get updates out more frequently!
> 
> Lot's of love in return,  
> Ketch.


	17. The Shark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny's dramatic reveal sets up a future of entertainment for you and him, however, the lie might not hold up for long...

Danny leans against the sink whilst you lay on the floor at his feet, begging for forgiveness.  
He chuckles, and pokes fun at you.

"We sure move fast, don't we."

"Shut uppp."

"I kind of hoped you already knew."

"Shhhhshsh..."

You sit up and sigh, drooping your head. 

"I knew you were too good to be true. What kind of angel would make me lunch every day if he were into me?"

Danny crouches to your level and grins.

"I reckon quite a few of these guys downstairs would, you know." He peels the hair out of your face and flicks the space between your eyes to get you to respond. 

"Oy! Douche..."

"Those skeletons...weirdly enough...I think they really like you, (y/n)."

"But why?!" You blurt, and fold your arms. "I haven't done anything special. I'm not a genius, I'm not funny or smart or beautiful."

"Can you just quit whining for a second? (Y/n)..." Daniel huffs and sits down too, wincing a bit as he hits his tailbone a little too hard on the tile. "I can't believe you don't see it. Maybe you're head is too clouded with insecurity...I don't know. But I know when I see love. Sure, maybe they don't love you as romantically as that sounds, but they sure as hell want you with them. That Sans guy? He was the hardest to read, but I could see that he felt something for you.."

You nod your head slowly, taking it all in.

"I think you should make the most of this." He continues, and smirks a bit. "I've read your articles, and now that I know you I can totally see that you like these guys too."

"Wait...what?! Nah! Shut up, Danny!"

"I'm serious. What, you think they have audio bugs all around their house? I don't think so, they can't hear us. Besides, they all think we're an item and that we're making out, or banging all hardcore in their bathroom like the classy folk we are."

You giggle at that, and grab a hold of his hand. 

"Heheheh...yeah, they probably do...but, wait...Danny?"

Daniel nods.

"Why didn't you tell me you were gay sooner?"

He sighs, and maybe you asked that too soon, but a smile overcomes his expression and you feel better. He looks happy.

"I guess...I was scared you'd hate me for leading you on. I know how hard it can be sometimes and...I do like you...just not as a lover. I'd play video games with you and eat pizza all night with you, but I wouldn't smash you in this bathroom."

"Hah, gross."

"I'm serious! I know it was kind of a dick move, but we never did anything. I wanna stay friends after this too, by the way. I'll never forgive you if you stop talking to me." Danny sandwiches your hand under his free one and speaks sincerely to you. "(Y/n), you're the best friend I've ever had. I want you to know that. I think your work is amazing, and I think you're really pretty and you deserve all these super cool monsters wanting your ass alright? And...well..."

"Danny, thank you." You say, and he smiles cheekily. "You're the best friend I've ever had too."

"Glad we're on the same page here, hah." He jokes, and takes a deep breath. "So...wanna, like, totally play with these guys you got downstairs?"

"What?" Your smile drops, does he mean like an orgy? Man, that though has only crossed your mind like, once. 

"Yeah. Since they think we're a thing, why don't we bamboozle them with jealousy and drive 'em nuts for you! It'll be the best wingman strategy since sticking a note to your friend's crush's bag!"

"Hah, oh." Thank god he didn't mean anything weird. "Yeah, why not?"

"You were gonna meet that Red fella outside right?"

"Yeah...ugh...sorry, Danny, I should really go and see him. I thought you were afraid so I wanted to take him away for an hour or so."

"You did?" Danny's face flushes red. "Oh, heheh, that's really sweet of you." 

"What were you going to suggest?"

Danny swallows thickly and a dauntingly devilish look washes over his adorable, handsome features. 

"'Cheat', on me."

***

It really didn't take much persuasion for you to agree with that proposition. Danny assured you he didn't mean to ask it of you in a creepy way. He promised to never force you to do anything, and you trust him.

Besides, Red is one of the more...physically attractive skeletons in your eyes. Sure, he might be scary, but more often than not, you find yourself thinking about that photo of his rib cage you keep in your drawer.  
You haven't seen it for weeks, and yet it's still there...  
It's such a strange photo, and it makes you feel strange about Red.

Surprisingly, once you go outside, Red is nowhere to be found.

Maybe he collapsed from over-drinking in a bush? That wouldn't seem off color of him at all to be honest.

"sorry, sweetheart. just uh...had a little chat with someone."

He arrives, on cue as always.

"That's okay, Red. I wasn't waiting long."

Red comes up to you and lights a cigarette from his jacket pocket. 

"wanna go for a walk? might be tha last time we can before it gets cold."

Your heart begins to thump inside your chest, and a numbing sensation of partial dread but mostly excitement floods your system.

"Sure."

At first, it's uncomfortably quiet. Not one of you utters a single word to one another.  
The blood rushes past your ears and the faint beating of your heart begins to fill the silent space for you.   
Red's trainers make a dull 'thud thud thud' sound beside you, and if you concentrate a little, you can sort of hear his breathing too.

He takes you off the street and down an alley, that opens out into a footpath of some sort.  
You've never seen this part of Ebbot before. It's much greener, and well cared for.   
It must be nice, having money.

Closer and closer you get to his side, and once your shoulder scrapes against his sleeve, you really start to feel the cold.  
If you shiver, will Red get annoyed at you for not bringing a coat? You try your best not to be uncomfortable but the temperature becomes quite a problem, and you find your teeth threatening to chatter.  
Looking up at his face, lit vaguely by the moon but mostly by his scarlet eyes, you see that even he has felt the cold enough to bury his chin into the thick polo-neck of his black sweater.

Hugging yourself, you stumble to keep up with the towering monster as best as you can; into a kind of woodland and deeper into darkness.

 

"R-red?" You falter, and find your voice stiff with cold. "Where are we g-g-going?"

He turns, and you anticipate some form of harsh comment to be thrown at you, but he looks you up and down, and then makes a sound very similar to a whine, but much lower and strangely out of breath.

"shit...i didn't know ya were cold...agh fuck...you want my coat?" 

"N-no..." You stammer, and take a deep breath. "I think I'd rather just...I don't know..." 

Hug him, that's what your brain is urging you to do. You'd rather hug him. You'd rather throw yourself into his chest and absorb all that heat and be held in his arms than go back to the cold and quiet. 

So that's what happens, and god...it's bliss.

His sweater and stomach are so comforting and soft, whilst his arms are so capable and his whole body just...just warm. Warm and so good. It's like cuddling the biggest hot-water bottle ever.  
A little hum of relief escapes you, and in response Red clutches you closer, folding the sides of his jacket to enshroud your icicle of a body in all the plush loveliness he can offer.

Holding you like this...it satisfies him so much.  
For once he's pleasing someone...for once he's needed for someone else's well-being. If only he could bring this kind of goodness out of his soul more often...  
But he knows he'll get hurt if he does.

"Red...can we sit down? I'm tired." 

"sure." 

It's more of a drop down than a sit, but regardless, you cuddle up into Red and slip your arms around his waist. He's such a big monster, and having your hands barely meet around his waist puts that fact into perspective.

"I feel so safe." You mumble into his chest, and his low chuckles vibrate through your entire being.

"what's gotten into you, sweetheart? ya get a little cold an' suddenly ya treatin' me like imma knight in shinin' armour?"

"Not a knight." You giggle, "Sorta...but less lawful."

He splutters at that, and his face glows a little. 

"Yeah! You're like...a protector."

"ugh, shut up hahah." Red kisses the top of your head and it sends a gorgeous buzz down your spine. 

"Ooh...yeah do that again." You tease, and he does, gently pressing his lips to your forehead this time.

"there. ya happy?"

"Hmmm..." You allow your hands to creep up his back and over his shoulder blades. He shudders, and groans softly. "Not exactly." Your fingers find the ridges and raised shapes of Red's body endlessly interesting. Tracing the patterns find new places to push and define. The sharper points of the details of his spine are especially interesting, and you remember what Edge's spine looked like, and wonder what his brother's might look like as well. 

"(y/n)...i appreciate this but...agh...yeah don't do that...ugh...f-fuck me that's good..." He shuts his eyes as he feels your fingers dig in a little more. "mmmh...yeah that's nice..."

"You're so damn easy, Red. Jeez." 

"Nnnah, you are." He winces, and takes out another cigarette.

"Don't smoke."

"why? ya don't like it?"

"Not really...but it tastes bad."

"what?"

"Come here, dumbass." 

He's a little to stupid to realize sooner, but you just can't help yourself to wait, and so you just pull him down and clumsily push your mouth against his.  
Red moans against your lips and all too easily manages to roll you over and pin you to the ground, his hands planted either side of your head and his thighs straddling your lower body.

"Ow! Red-what the-"

He growls...a noise that both terrifies you and turns you on. What is he doing? He knows you're 'with Danny' right?  
Or is this just what he would do anyway?  
Would he really let you seduce him when you already had a partner?

It dawns upon you that maybe this is just too outrageously promiscuous...what would your parents think?  
Christ, you need to stop thinking all together, and honestly it isn't hard considering Red's powerful figure is looming above you. 

 

This motherfucker is experienced, that's for sure.

"Red...I..."

"shut up." He moves one hand to clasp your waist a bit, and as he does you get the chance to catch a breath and look for a second. He tastes like beer, but it could be worse.   
Naturally, your position suggests something very overwhelming, and all you can do is pray to god that he doesn't go too far. "i can see through your little charade, (y/n)." Red chuckles, and pulls back a little bit. 

"Wha?"

"i know ya ain't with that other kid...whasisname...dan?"

"Oh really?" Keeping up the lie might have been harder in real life than you'd previously anticipated. How on earth did Red find out so fast? Maybe he's bluffing.

"yeah. i ain't a fuckin' moron. i knew he was battin' for tha other team since i laid eyes on 'im."

"You what?"

"he couldn't take his eyes of us, babe, it was pretty obvious. i know when someone's afraid or not."

You stare, hard, into Red's smug face, and as soon as the tiniest hint of a smile breaks through onto your mouth, you start to crack up.

"What the hell, Red?!" You feebly bat his cheek with you hand. He smirks. "It was supposed to be a secret."

"what, so ya could mess with everyone's minds? that's real mature, sweetheart."

"Yeah yeah...but...if I'm allowed to ask...how do you know the difference between Danny being afraid of you and...well...you know. Surely there's a fine line between the two."

Red sighs and his grin turns a little scary.

"i guess...i can just smell the difference."

"No way...you're joking. That's some shark-level shit right there-"

"i ain't jokin' around! m'pretty sure i'm tha only one in tha house who can do it but, i can tell if yer havin' a great time just by how ya smell. sure, ya might call me a creep but i can't really help it."

"So...am I having a great time now?" You ask, and the pounding of your heart in your chest seems to buzz throughout your whole body. "Can you use your shark powers on me?"

Red laughs and leans in so close to your face that his hot breath forces your blush brighter. 

"sure. i'd say you're havin' a WHALE of a time."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading as always! And I'm super razzed by all of your sweet comments and I really enjoy reading and replying to y'all. it really makes my day hehe.
> 
> Next chapter: Spin the wheel of fortune to determine...who will be next? >:Dc


	18. Getting Closer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You might call this the most eventful night so far, however you are sure that now, it's a mission of yours to have many more to come.  
> Let's just hope that nothing goes wrong again.

"ya know, sweetheart..." Red slides his arm around your waist and tugs you into his side. You're wearing his jacket and he's gotten himself another cigarette, holding it between his teeth but not really smoking it. Whilst he was outside, he'd said, he might as well make the most of it. "if ya ever...wanted somethin' from me...anythin' for that matter...don't be afraid ta ask, alright?"

"Hahah...I'll keep that in mind." You say, and wind an arm as far around him as you can, so that you're intertwined whilst you walk. It seems like less of a journey back to the house than before, and seeing the lights in the windows and hearing the faint pulse of music makes you feel slightly sad. It was nice being outside with Red...alone...quiet...warm...

"Red, I'm going to stay out here for a little while longer. Do you mind?" Pulling yourselves apart, you notice now how detestable being free from his grasp is. It's like getting out of a hot shower in winter. 

"not at all, babe. come in when ya like." He stubs his cig out on the path with his foot whilst you sit down on a bench beside the house. "don't get cold, or kidnapped."

"I'll be fine. See you in a minute."

"yeah."

Strange, how easy it is to say goodbye to someone, but so difficult to engage with them in the first place.  
You don't want to be left alone really, but you need time to think.  
Being out here with Red has made you realize something- something more than what you realized with Stretch yesterday.  
These monsters want to be with you.  
You are attractive, and you can do things like kiss a skeleton in the middle of a forest for over an hour without something horrible happening.

All these irrational little fears were just things you developed in high-school that you never really understood enough to think about until now. 

You sigh, and huddle up inside the fleece of Red's enormous coat. It's so cold tonight. 

The quick tapping of shoes flying across tarmac comes to your attention, and all of a sudden your heart is in your mouth and your blood is pounding past your ears.  
The figure leaps at you from the darkness, and your bodies collide with some force. You topple off the bench under their weight, and your head smacks into the icy ground below. 

"Hey!" You cry out, and the attacker stops for a second.

Panting, they sit up, and scramble to get off you.

"Who is this?" A female voice breathes, and she exhaustively rolls over and gets up with haste, backing away. "Who are you?"

"The fuck? Who are you more like?! Why did you jump on me you freak?!" Terrified and confused, your voice trembles with the emotions but you recoil at your own words. The figure uncovers her face by slipping off her hood and scooping her fringe out of her eyes. "Oh my god..."

"I am sorry...so terribly sorry! I thought you were-"

"Frisk Dreemurr...FRISK?!"

"Shhhhh!" The monster ambassador falls to her knees by your head and covers your mouth with her delicate hands. "Shut up! I don't want to be seen!" 

"Mmm! Mwot he hell?!"

"SHHHH." Frisk brings her own voice down to a whisper. The wind blows her tawny hair across her face as she bends closer. "I'll go now...I've made a mistake. Speak of this to no one. Promise me that."

You frown and slap her hand away from your mouth.

"No way! Why'd you assault me like that? I'm so confused."

Frisk gulps thickly and avoids eye contact, however her blue eyes flicker over to the glowing doorway instead and her cheeks blush, giving her away.

You gasp and a tiny smile breaks your expression.

"Woah...you thought I was..."

"Whatever you think, you are wrong." Frisk snaps, and hastily gets to her feet. She brushes herself off with dignity and looks around cautiously. "If you speak a word of this to anyone, I'll make sure your actions are brought to justice."

"Okay...okay! No need to get mad with me..."

"Good. You understand. Well, I'll be going." She turns her back and begins to return to the shadows, however, before she sprints away she quietly bids you goodbye.

Left once again, alone, you lie on the ground for a moment, processing.  
Frisk thought you were a skeleton because you were at their house and wearing their clothes. She must have pounced on you as a practical joke or something friendlier than it appeared. if it were Sans or Stretch, you're sure it would make them laugh rather than call Frisk names and act like a victim.

Did you react too strongly?

You were kind of attacked just then...

Whatever, you should just forget it and go back indoors. You've had enough of alone time already, and you're really burning to tell Danny what happened whilst you were out.

***

At first, Red felt nothing. Sure, it always felt good when someone returned his advances, but this time it was different. His...nothingness...the nothingness he felt inside was because he couldn't comprehend why you had acted like that with him, and been so willing to do what he wanted.   
What had happened to make you feel like that? He'd done nothing all night, you even seemed to have a particular distaste of him at the start of the evening...but what changed?

Nevertheless, by now he feels a swelling pride in his chest, and if there's anything his mind is on, it's the way you held onto him, and the way your hands touched his body like that. He liked that touch a lot...it was unbearably passionate at times, but soft and gentle. He liked your attitude too. Once he got on top of you...well...you seemed to melt between his fingers. The memory then is blurry but pleasant, and his cheeks stay quite red whilst he drinks his urges away in his room. He isn't going to be disgusting over you today...maybe not ever. He wants to reform himself a little bit, because you make him want to be a better monster.

***

Danny believes that you're lying when you tell him your story. He repeats it over and over again, and laughs a little before accusing you of pulling his leg. 

"It's true! I really made out with him." 

"Nah nah nah, (y/n), that guy?" His eyes grow wide. "But he's so... You'd totally get intimidated and chicken out...no way you kissed him like that..."

You shake your head and feign irritation. 

"Fine, if you don't believe me, then that's fine, but I'm telling the truth."

"Woah! (Y/n)...okay I believe you. Yeesh."

The two of you chat for a while on the sofas, and Danny informs you that he thinks your record player is rad as hell and he got Papyrus to play 'Take On Me' for him so that he could start a dance train, but no one wanted to meme it up enough. He said the 'orange one' was tempted but couldn't be bothered.

Speaking of the 'orange one', you haven't seen Stretch very much tonight.

You look for him in the kitchen, and find him drinking cola straight from the bottle. When you arrive, he takes a huge sip and makes a big deal out of making the gasping sound at the end. You snicker.

"what? hun, tell me you're not impressed."

"I'm not."

"damn." Stretch laughs, "that's cold, but i knew you'd come crawling back to me eventually."

You take the bottle from him and drink a little yourself, and he pretends to be bereft.

"Stretch, can we go into the studio? I wanna hear you play something." 

He looks genuinely surprised, but very happy to hear that from you.

"Of course."

He takes you upstairs, and for a while, you just sit next to each other in bean bag chairs whilst he tunes up an acoustic guitar.

"now, i don't mean to brag but..." He strums a couple of chords. "i've been kind of wanting a chance to show off a bit."

"Cool." You grin, and he blushes faintly. "Can I request a song?"

There's a glint in his eyes as he nods, focusing on the instrument. 

After a while of playing your song, Stretch begins to improvise, and that's when the soft sounds of his guitar and the huskiness of his voice begin to make you feel tired. Slowly, your eyelids droop, and you fall onto his shoulder comfortably, listening with your eyes closed.  
The studio lights are bright, just enough to keep you from sleeping, but not enough to stop you from wanting to.

"Mmmm...Stretch?"

"yeah, honey?"

"Can we go to bed? I'm tired."

There's a pause, one where you imagine he's a little confused and lost for words and where his cheeks glow that sweet honey-orange. 

"sure, hun. you want to borrow my bed?"

"Please."

Even though Stretch is lanky and one of the less strongly-built skeletons, he has enough power to pick you up in his arms and carry you down the hall to his room. It's next to Blue's near the stairs and it's so messy that Stretch has a hard time kicking the door open.  
Clothes, CDs, waste paper, empty bags of chips and bottles of honey...you can't even see the carpet.

At least the bed is clean enough.

"i uh...wasn't expecting guests." He jokes, laying you down and debating sitting next to you in his head. 

"This is fine." You mumble, and reach up for him. "Just...turn the light off and come back. Please?"

He does as you ask, and closes the door. Your heart feels a little excitable watching him strip his hoodie in the gloomy dark and watching his form approach you through the rippling light cast by the streetlamps shining through the blinds. 

He sits next to you with a sigh and rests his hand on your stomach. 

"what's up? you not feeling too good?"

"I'm feeling great." You grin, and pull the sheets out, straightening them and covering yourself. "You don't have to sit here if you don't want to."

"no, no...hun, you know i want to be with you." He smiles too, and turns his face to the window a bit. "i'd actually...really like to stay here all night."

"I'd like that." You whisper, trying hard not to squeal.

"ya would?" Stretch's eyes grow wide and he seems to be in over his head. "you don't mind?"

"Sleep here." You urge him, and tug his arm gently so that he lays beside you before being engulfed in the blankets.

His body is warm, and like you observed before, he isn't bulky but he is much bigger than you expected. His rib cage is covered in a grey tee shirt but you can feel each rib underneath. The ridges and bumps press into your back, and the shapes of him are far different to Red's: slimmer, leaner, longer.  
It's fascinating, and you enjoy this alien feeling of his strange form cuddling up against you.  
Stretch wraps his arms about your body and props his chin on your shoulder as he casually assumes the position of the big spoon... just sort of... lazily using you as part of the bed which is nice. He's so easy going that it doesn't feel at all awkward, and just comforting and relaxed.  
He sighs, blowing your hair a little.   
Your fingers grasp his hands and you feel him smile.

"mmmmh~" The skeleton groans softly. "night, hun."

"Goodnight, Stretch."

***

For the first time in a while, you wake up peacefully next to a man. It's funny, but it feels a little scary.

It looks to be quite late in the morning, bright light pasted in lines across the intensely messy floor...

You must have been tired enough to sleep in, it seems. 

Stretch snores softly next to you, his arms like cages across your chest and one knee trapping your legs to the mattress. Feels good.

Later, he wakes up, and a look of confusion is replaced quickly by a big smile. Yawning, he says:

"mornin' honey. man...i slept so well."

"Me too, hehe." You look up into his eyes for just a second, and the look he's giving you back sets your pulse racing. 

He makes a move, hesitates, then places a gentle kiss to your lips before turning over and rolling out of bed.

All Stretch has to do is pull on another hoodie and he's ready for the day, whereas you rush to the bathroom to tidy up before joining the household for breakfast.

Once downstairs, you find Sans laying asleep on the couch, mouth open as he snores. Russ' back can be seen through the window as he smokes outside, looking solemn.

There is no sign of Red, Papyrus, Black or Blue. It's strange seeing the place so empty.

You eat toast with Stretch in the kitchen, pretty much in silence. You think both of you are thinking about last night too fondly to speak about it. Sans wakes up a little later and joins you. He looks dreadful, brewing coffee with the biggest dark circles under his eye sockets and a weakness to his smile.

He leans on the breakfast bar and half-balances his mug on his stomach whilst he sticks one hand in his pocket.

"so how are you two this mornin', hm?" He asks innocently enough, but there's a hint of coyness about him. 

"Good." You reply, and Stretch just nods. "You?"

"tired." Sans chuckles quietly. "'ve got a lot ta do today. tuesday goin' 'round ta the embassy again ta talk with tori."

"really? we were just over there." Stretch frowns, and the two exchange a look.

"What's the matter?" you interject, and Sans sighs.

"i hate ta say it but the royals have gotten pretty clingy since we grew apart. tha queen especially...she seems ta want me to be up there 24/7."

"Does she like you?" You joke, but both Stretch and Sans hide their amused grins.

"maybe just a bit." Sans says.

"pfft, she's always tryin' to feed you and get you to stay over." Stretch laughs, which makes you giggle too. It's a funny image: the monster queen hitting on a guy like Sans.

"hey, you've never been to the embassy before have ya, kid?" 

You shake your head and Sans' pupils grow small and sharp with his sudden brilliant idea.

"do ya wanna come with me? it'd save me a lot of trouble and i haven't seen ya properly in a while." The skeleton scratches the back of his skull and sips his coffee. "i know it's probably a work day an' everythin'..."

"Yeah! Sure, I'll come with." Forgetting last night's shenanigans with Frisk, you blindly accept. "If I say it's research I'll get leave."

"cool." Sans seems satisfied with himself after that, and after a moment of sipping coffee he promptly excuses himself to go elsewhere.

"so...(y/n)...about last night..." Stretch pulls a pained expression and wretchedly wrings his hands.

"Don't worry about it." You smile up at him "I'd do it again and again."

At that, something within Stretch clicks.  
Was this...what he had wanted you to say from the start?

"heh." He smirks. "alright."

It dawns on you then that you have no idea what happened to Danny after you went to bed.  
The last you'd seen of him was in the living room by the TV but he wasn't sleeping on the couches like Sans. Did he go to bed here? Or did he go home?

You dig your phone out of your pocket and turn it on. The battery is at an unnerving 15% but it'll have to do as you try to call Danny.  
Signalling to Stretch that you're going to make a call, you exit the kitchen and stand in the stairwell, hoping the phone will be answered.

You wait, and the house becomes eerily quiet without the voices you're so used to booming around it. It smells strange too, like burnt toast mixed with that new house pine smell. 

Above you, some kind of music starts to ring, and then you realize it must be Danny's phone. Did he leave it here overnight?

The sound, as you follow it, leads to Blue's bedroom, and for a split moment, you're in shock.  
No way...

No way did Danny go to bed with Blue. That'd be just too weird.

You open the door just a bit, and find that inside is pitch black. Blue seems to have employed the use of some thick curtains instead of crappy blinds like his brother.

"Danny?" You whisper, and push the door open a little further. "Hey? Psst!"

Someone is definitely in there- you can hear them breathing. Whether it's Blue or Danny or both you're not sure.

Stretch appears behind you, and opens the door fully without caution.

"Hey! Stretch- why'd you-" 

"blue ain't in here, hun. it's just your friend."

You look down and sure enough, Danny is sprawled on the floor wrapped up in Blue's bed sheets. He's still dressed- thank god- and has a note taped to his forehead.

Stretch enters and peels off the piece of paper whilst you have a snoop about the room. 

It's very...neat! And not as childish as one might imagine. Blue has a standard desk by the window in the corner, on it is a gaming PC and a bunch of cables in a basket. He has a biking helmet under the chair and a dresser with tee shirts folded on top.   
Weirdly enough there's a bottle of cologne there too, which makes you laugh a bit.

The curtains, sheets and most of the clothes are blue, but the carpet and furniture is basic white. The decoration on the walls is pretty interesting however, as Blue has taken some pride in hanging up dozens of posters- ones for cooking shows, gaming conventions and sports teams. He even has a lamp in the shape of a star at the end of his bed which is cute.

"(y/n), read this." Stretch steps over Danny's unconscious body and hands you the note. 

'TO (Y/N)

YOUR HUMAN FRIEND WOULD NOT WAKE UP SO I LET HIM USE MY BED. DON'T WORRY, I WILL BE BACK LATER TO REMOVE HIM!'

You snicker, and look pitifully down at Danny.

"Blue is so sweet." You say, and crouch by the boy's head to shake him awake. 

"ya think so?" Stretch backs up and looks about the hall as though he's up to no good and doesn't want to be seen...

Being seen...why does that thought stay with you...?

Frisk! You totally forgot about that crazy episode with Frisk last night!

"Hey, Stretch." You pull a huge grin. "Wanna know something hilarious?"

***

By the end of your story, minus the part about kissing Red, Stretch is in stitches and Danny is starting to look like he might wake up.

"so she thought you were red?!" Stretch wheezes, and you nod. "what the hell."

"I know right? Why did she have to jump on me, huh? So weird."

"jeez, i thought those embassy nuts were crazy before but now i just feel bad. they must be so socially deprived up there in their little palace hahahah."

"Maybe."

If he's right, then you kind of feel bad about hating on Frisk before now. What if Frisk is really struggling socially because of her sheltered life at the embassy? The Queen seems to be the protective type after what Sans said earlier.

Danny stirs, and groans huskily.

"Uuuugh...where- where am I?" 

"You're dead, Daniel. I'm sorry."

He pauses for a second, and before opening his eyes he says:

"Hi (y/n)." 

"Hey Dan. Why'd you pass out in Blue's room?"

"W-what?"

"Did you drink or something?"

Danny looks spaced for a second, and then he pulls an irritated face and rolls over.

"That tall one with the scar gave me something to drink...I don't know what it was...tasted like vodka."

"tall one with the scar? there's two of them." Stretch replies, and looks thoughtful. "actually, i didn't see edge at all last night. you think it was him? he is the tallest..."

"No, I didn't see Edge, but I did see Russ. Where is Edge anyway?"

Stretch shrugs.

"probably didn't want to party. he's like that sometimes. he shuts himself up in his office and writes for days on end."

"His novels?"

Stretch raises his brows at that. He didn't know you knew that much about Edge.

"yeah. i've never read 'em, and no one goes in there when he's working 'cus they'd get beat up."

"Fair enough." You sigh and pat Danny's cheek to stop him from falling asleep again. "Did he have tattoos, Dan?"

"N-Nyeah...maybe..." The boy pushes you away and you leave him alone, standing up to brush the carpet from your knees.

"It has to be Edge."

"but why?" Stretch shrugs. "he wouldnt leave his office for you let alone this guy...unless..." His voice peters out at the end there and you narrow your eyes at his thoughtful expression.

"Unless what? What are you thinking?"

"nah, s'nothing. probably russ gave your friend some of red's cellar stash and he wasn't prepared."

"That's likely. I don't think Danny drinks a lot. On our date he bought cola and hot chocolate instead."

"woah, you're dating?" Stretch's face...if it were not the ivory white of false bone already, would have gone pale with that daunting discovery. He frowns at you and he blushes faintly in anger. "you mean this guy is your boyfriend and you went to bed with me last night?"

"Stretch, wait a second, before you get mad..."

"i'm listenin' hun."

You huff, and hang your head shamefully.

"I'm not...I'm not dating Danny. He's...actually pretty gay."

"oh thank stars for that." The skeleton releases a huge sigh of relief and clutches the back of his skull in his hands. "i was not ready for that."

"We just dated on Valentines because he felt sorry for me."

"why? did no one ask you out? i thought-" Stretch snaps his mouth shut like he shouldn't have said that, and then refuses to tell you the end of it.

"Please? I don't mind who it is."

"i thought you would...go to your parents or something." He blurts in one breath. "that's what happens right? humans go to their families on holidays."

"Not really." Danny buries his face into a piece of Blue's bed covers and groans at you and Stretch.

"Too loud. Go away."

You decide to abandon Danny after that and return downstairs, where it's hauntingly quiet.

"I really want to know who gave Danny that alcohol. I still think it was Edge."

"you want a bet?" Stretch pulls out a box of cigarettes from his hoodie pockets, and you wrinkle up your nose.

"Do you really need to smoke?"

"relax, honey. monsters don't smoke the same herbs as y'all fucked up humans do."

"It's still ash though, right?"

"not really. more like magic."

You glare at him for a second, but it's hard to stay mad for long. No kind of smoking is acceptable but you can't stop him.

"Well... I'm going to see Edge. Right now."

Stretch's eyes grow big and round and his brows raise as he looks down at you, hesitating with the lighter by the cig between his lips. 

"that ain't a good plan at all."

"No...but I feel like I can convince him to cooperate."

"that's brave but...is dan gettin' drunk really worth being treated like a mystery?"

You pull a sly grin, and make your way to the stairwell once more.

"I can't leave until he's awake. I might as well do something while I wait."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyy! Thank you so much for reading! You've all been so lovely and I do listen to what you say!
> 
> I've noticed a lot of romantically frustrated readers of late and have no fear! The slow burn days are drawing to an end. Obviously, I'll try my best to keep the pacing bearable in both ends of the spectrum and make sure that this is still a story rather than a collection of one-shots with the longest intro ever.  
> I've been planning more chapters recently and hopefully the emotions will come out of the bag sooner than you think!
> 
> Happy readings! <3


	19. And Yet, You're Not Surprised.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get a little hot with Edge but things take yet another turn for the worse...  
> You're beginning to feel things you've never expected to.
> 
> Edit: Reader had a pretty crappy reaction to something and I fixed it! Enjoy!

The carpet in this house is unbelievably immaculate, and the paint of the walls is in clean, neat colors; perfectly painted. The furniture is barely used, and the doors don't even squeak. It's like a doll's house, or a house in a dream. Everything is brand new, and it is so empty but so comforting.  
It's so much nicer than your apartment, that's for damn sure.

Just looking at the little rectangular step-way leading up to Edge's attic, with it's tiny ceiling saucer light and carpeted steps, smoothly curving wall painted deep red and the polished wooden railing...it's just so satisfying. 

The stairs wind upwards to the third floor, which can barely be seen from outside, you recall. This house is built with plenty of head space, even with three fully built floors.  
At the top there's a narrow landing of bare wood flooring, and...shoes...  
Smart shoes, pairs and pairs of them.  
About five in total, and you have to admit that they all look extremely tasteful. You wouldn't catch Edge in sneakers and that's a fact.

The doors to the office part are doubled, each one constructed of a wooden frame and clouded glass in the center. Through them, you can make out the vague figure of a dark, looming shape, sitting at a splotch of a desk at the end of the room.

Taking a deep breath, you tap on the glass with your knuckles. This was a bad idea, but you couldn't hang out with Stretch all day.  
Plus, you're worried a bit about Edge. Black too.  
Those two still seem out of your reach, where they are so aloof, that neither of them want to even talk to you.

It sucks.

There is a pause, but the rough yet worn-out sound of Edge's voice calls back.

"WHO IS IT? WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

"It's me, (y/n)." You reply. The following pause you're sure is caused by a complex thought process. Edge must be contemplating the sensibilities of letting you in. "Can I come in? I... wanted to review your work."

Through the mottled window, the dark shape of Edge's brutally thin yet extraordinarily strong frame rises from it's seat, and grows larger and clearer as he approaches the door. His hand reaches for the handle, but hesitates, and instead of opening it, he leans against the frame.

"(Y/N)." Edge sighs, and you watch the distorted image of him with the interest of a curious child. He's so tall and strange you can't help but admire him. That jawline, those teeth and the frightening scar that drives a solid groove through his right eye socket. Your eyes never know where to look. "I KNOW IT MUST BE HARD TO RESIST ME AFTER I HAVE NOT PRESENTED MYSELF TO YOU FOR SO LONG, BUT I MUST CONFESS THAT I AM IN NO STATE TO ENTERTAIN."

Without warning, a snort of disbelief escapes you, and you clap your hands against your mouth but it's too late.  
Although barely distinguishable, the frown on Edge's face becomes darker and offended.

"DO I AMUSE YOU, HUMAN?" 

"N-no!" You squeak, and take a painfully deep breath to compose yourself. "I mean, I heard about your writing and I wondered if you might be able to help me...sir?"

Calling him 'sir' will almost definitely win something in your favor with him. Edge is so full of himself, he'd enjoy feeling like he is in charge.

A metallic tapping emanates from his fingertips as he plays with the door handle.

"YOU WANT...ME...TO HELP YOU? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?"

"I don't think so. Surely you're the most qualified to assist me?"

Again, a pause, but this time you can predict the outcome.

"FINE. BUT IF YOU BOTHER ME, I'LL THROW YOU OUT BEFORE YOU CAN SAY 'DEFENESTRATION'."

"Sounds fair."

Ignoring your remark, Edge cracks open the office door. It makes the sound of a bursting vacuum, the kind that makes doors hard to open sometimes...but he opened it without magic or any kind of effort.

You refuse to show that you're impressed by him, at least, on the outside.

"I'VE BEEN EDITING ONE OF MY OLDEST NOVELS." Edge explains, leading you into the vast, very grey room. The carpet is grey, the walls are grey- besides one which is a deep red color, and the pale linen blinds shadowing part of the desk from the sun are grey too. "I WOULDN'T ADVISE YOU READ IT. IT...ISN'T FINISHED."

"But I am so excited to see it...Can't I just read like, a page?" 

Edge asserts himself in his black leather chair and sighs; decompressing.

"I'm really curious."

The skeleton's face is flushed, quite a lot actually. His face is tinged with crimson blush quite intensely.

"You aren't embarrassed are you?"

Edge grimaces and looks like he might go to hit you but his arm appears to meet an invisible stuck joint of etiquette and a confused expression washes over him.

"NOT AT ALL! MY WORK IS JUST...PERHAPS NOT WHAT YOU MIGHT THINK."

"Edge, it can't be worse than what I do. If you've written it, I'm sure it's gr-"

"I AM PERFECTLY SURE OF THE QUALITY." He snaps, making you jump. "BUT IT'S THE CONTENT I AM MOST CONCERNED ABOUT."

"Is it gory? I don't mind if it is. Gritty stuff is quite exciting to re-"

Again, he interrupts, and this time his voice takes on a weaker, more pleading tone.

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND." Edge cradles his forehead in one hand whilst the other taps frantically on the arm of his chair. "I DON'T KNOW WHY I LET YOU IN."

"Wait...you mean it's...rude stuff right? Do you write smut, Slim?"

You're not sure whether it's the fact that you used his real name, or whether you've hit the nail on the head with that suggestion, or if you've missed the mark horribly but the blush dusting the monster's sharp cheekbones glows brightly, and spreads even further. His eye sockets widen and his sly red pupils shrink and avoid you entirely, focusing on the windowsill instead.

"Because, if you do, that'd be fascinating to read. It would prove really beneficial to my research on monster culture-"

"NO." Edge snaps, and gathers up his writings from the desk and holds them away from you. "I WON'T HAVE IT. YOU CAN READ SOMETHING ELSE INSTEAD."

"Oh, but now I'm really curious." You lean over him to grasp for the papers but he's much too quick to let you and brings his knee up into your stomach- not to hurt you, but it at least stops you whilst he drops the papers into a drawer and slams it shut with haste. He turns, red-faced, to you.

"I TOLD YOU NO." He says, his voice sounds much weaker than it usually is. 

"Slim, we're adults...I'm an adult...you can show me and I'm not gonna judge. We all think about sex-"

"FOR FUCK'S SAKE, JUST LEAVE IT!" Edge groans and thrusts his knee further into your ribs. "DON'T MAKE ME KICK YOU OUT."

"But..." You frown, and get up, brushing your shirt down into place again. "Hm."

"I DON'T LIKE THAT LOOK." He mutters, crossing his arms, and that pose gives you an idea. If his arms are like that, they aren't protecting the drawer!

You dive, headlong over him, and grab onto the drawer handle, yanking the whole box out of the chest and into your hands. You snatch the papers and roll away from Edge's swiping arms and under the chair into the middle of the room.

"YOU LITTLE FUCKER...GIVE THAT BACK!" The monster gets up, eyes ablaze.

"Edge!" Standing up to him is probably the worst decision you've ever made, but here you are. "Please?"

 

There is a pause, and Edge raises his hand, possibly to cast some kind of magic, but he stops, and surprisingly, he gives in.

 

"FINE." Edge grits his fangs. "I'M GOING TO REGRET THIS, BECAUSE NO ONE ON THIS EARTH HAS EVER READ THIS. YOU CAN TAKE FROM IT WHAT YOU WILL BUT IF YOU DARE TELL ANYONE AFTER I SWEAR..." 

"I promise I won't say a word." You grin devilishly, and clasp your hands together. "Can I sit down?"

Guiltily, Edge shrugs. 

"YOU CAN'T HAVE MY CHAIR."

"Then I guess we'll have to share it then." You smile innocently, and sit yourself down in his lap.

He isn't soft like Sans and Red, he's more boney like Stretch but even less comfy. Edge's body is strong and sharp, pulsing with aggressive, primal magic but tamed by a monumental amount of self-discipline. Sat beneath his shadow, within the confines of his cage-like arms and long legs, you feel an overpowering sense of safety and solidity.

"I HOPE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE IN FOR." Edge growls, very close to your ear. A euphemism? Unlikely. Coming from Edge, you assume it means he will be throwing you down the staircase the next wrong move you make.  
Swallowing thickly with a bright blush on your face, you accept the challenge of reading smut fiction of a monster's hand.

The story is- as of yet- untitled, but has a beefy 60 pages to it. You assume this is multiple stories, amalgamated into one.  
Before turning to the first page, you breathe in slowly through your nose, preparing.  
You honestly don't know what to expect. What are you hoping to gain from this? Is it just...some sort of sick desire to perv in on other people's fantasies? To compare them to your own?

Probably.

You're used to having people read over your shoulder; boss from work or Danny at home, but for some reason now, you can feel the two pinpricks of scarlet light stabbing into the page from behind your head especially.  
Unnerved, you bravely turn from the front cover.

The first page is entirely setup material. Edge is mightily good at scene setting, however, and he pitches a dark forest covered in snow, where a soldier is patrolling.  
The soldier searches for the escapees of a war that rages in the capital. He looks for the enemies who have given up and are cowards, unable to pick up their swords and fight.

You wonder where this is going.

On page three, the soldier finds a female enemy soldier hiding by his sentry station, and after a minute of conversation, things take a turn indeed.

"Um...Edge?" You ask, weakly. "You said that...you were editing this now, didn't you?"

"YES." He responds, confused. "IS THERE AN ERROR?"

"No...just..." The words get mixed up and stuck in your throat before they can be enunciated. You swallow them, and run your thumb over the name of this woman in his story.

Her name is identical to yours.

You say nothing and read on. The story progresses, and exponentially heats up. You start to sweat knowing what you're about to read through next, and each turn of the page makes your fingers shake a little more.

"YOU CAN STOP IF YOU LIKE." Edge suggests, but you're almost deafened by your own racing heartbeat. Inside your chest, it pounds, like someone taking a hammer to a water balloon.  
You're not so flustered by the words on the page, but rather the feel of Edge's thighs beneath your own, and the curve of his chest against your shoulder blades. You're fantasizing over the heat of his breath on the back of your neck and the strength of his huge hands. You want to feel those teeth too, the fangs on your skin.

The way Edge uses his language is astonishingly good, although it's also a hot mess of burning passion and pent-up desires: feelings difficult to express through simple words. The woman is an enemy, yet the soldier is so scarred from war and has been denied a woman for so long he craves her...  
You feel a little objectified...but maybe even endeared.

He wants to do this to you.  
This...this is his fantasy.

Something wet and hot presses against the side of your neck, right on the pulse where you're most sensitive, and slowly, the pointed tips of short knives, now distinguishable as teeth, close down on your flesh and dig in gently.  
Edge groans softly, but the sound travels down your spine like electricity along a wire. Your breathing catches and becomes stunted in the horror and partial excitement of this alien sensation.

"S-sl-"

"SHHHH." Edge warns, and kisses your neck, his hands and long fingers wrap around your upper arms and squeeze them.

"I-I don't understand." You wince as he bites down a little too hard, and he responds to your body language almost immediately, reducing the pressure.

"DO YOU WANT ME TO STOP?" Edge's smile can be heard rather than seen, and you nervously close the book in your lap and shake your head. You don't want him to stop, his manner is so darkly inviting you're actually very inclined to urge him on...however the surprise is still settling within your chest. "GOOD." He mutters, and presses his lips once again to the open flesh of your neck.

You can smell the cologne he uses, the one on his dresser in his room. That smell is the same as his bed and the letter on the desk, the mirrors on the wall. You see the spines of his back as he sleeps beside you, within your chest the thumping of your panicked heart doubles with the image that you have re-conjured.

Taking his hands in your own, you incline to his lips, and tilt your head very slightly to let him find your own.  
He kisses you first very gently, with only the lightest of touches, but the more you give him the more he feels the walls of his emotional prison come down. Like a caged animal, emerging into the sunlight after years of containment, he's hungry for this freedom. The liberation he craved in his story comes to life within his hands as you let him have you, piece by piece.

He touches your hair, your face and draws the contours down to your neck and collar. He seems fascinated, and intoxicated; a strange, masculine mirror of your own feelings at this moment.

Often you have lay in bed, quite innocently, and pondered over these skeletons' bodies. They're so intricate and so unusual, as you frequently observe, the shapes of white magical bone curve and taper, meld and break in such calculated but yet fantastically organic ways it's as though they have been engineered for something. Like a puzzle, the bones fit to build such unmistakably beautiful monsters.

Now, as they slip around your hips, Edge's hands look so intriguing and feel so welcome. He moans softly against your mouth, your hands gripping at his ribs under his black shirt.

Just as your lips part to get a word in, your left thigh begins to buzz, and it doesn't take long to decipher that it's your phone. Someone is calling you.

You let it go to answerphone, but it starts to ring again after a few seconds of going still.

Again, you let it ring and ring, and eventually Edge mumbles something like:

"YOU SHOULD GET THAT."

You reach for the phone but before you can grab it a message comes through, and you both stop moving.

"Hi, honey it's me, your mom. I got a concerned call from a friend of mine about you. Please call me back as soon as you can, sweetie! I love you."

The message ends with a low beep and you expel a breath you didn't know you were holding.

"Mmm~" Edge leaves your mouth alone to attend to your neck and shoulders again, his hands resume exploration, however.

"Hang on a second, S-slim..." You fumble for your mobile and quickly call your mother, who answers very quickly.  
Edge does not stop, and you wince a little as he bites.

"Oh darling! I was so worried."

"H-hi mom." You swallow thickly. "What's...what's up?"

"I got a very concerned phone call, dear, from a friend of mine. She told me she saw you in a coffee shop in town..."

"What about it?" The confused frown on your face deepens, and Edge is getting dangerously frisky with you, given the current situation. It makes it hard to speak.

"She told me that you were harassed by a monster working there! I couldn't help but call! Are you okay? It wasn't scary was it?"

Hearing your mother's words, Edge stiffens, and sits slowly upright. He looks absolutely furious.

"Darling, please answer me. What on Earth have you gotten yourself into?"

"Mom." You cringe, knowing full well what kind of state she gets in over things like this. "I was not harassed in the slightest."

"You weren't? But she said he touched you-"

"Mom. I know him. He's my friend. He held my hand that was all."

"What?! But that's such a forward move! Of you'd given him any more..."

"It's okay mom, don't panic. You know I can take care of myself-"

"Don't take that tone with me. You're going to get yourself into some serious trouble soon with that attitude! Mark my words."

"Why can't you see that monsters aren't all that you think they are? Just because you're scared-"

"I'm not scared! I'm terrified! You trust people too much, (y/n). You might be grown up enough to live on your own but you are still my daughter! I can't be having you...fraternizing with these things!"

"You're overreacting. Mom, please try to understand. I have somewhere to be now so I have to go."

"Wait! No..."

You hang up, but as soon as the phone falls quiet the anger shuts down with it and you're suddenly hit with grief and guilt.

You just hung up on your mom. How could you? She was just worried...  
But you're sick of this ignorant racism you keep finding.

Edge is looking at you, searching for something to say. You sigh and press your hands to his chest.

"I...I can't do this now. I need to get home."

"I SEE." The monster replies, a little put out.

"I'm sorry." You slide off his lap and drag yourself to the door.

"DON'T BE." Edge says, before you shut the office door behind you.

Downstairs, Danny is with Sans and Stretch, they're obviously having a good conversation, smiling, all of them.

"I'm gonna head off now." You mutter to them, passing them and grabbing your bag.

"what? you sure?" Stretch gets up and Danny looks surprised. "hun..."

"Yeah, I want to look over my report before I send it to Jodie."

Stretch can see the hurt in your eyes, the mixture of bad, confused feelings. That spark within your soul is fogging up again.

With outstretched arms he approaches.

"honey, talk to us...what's wrong?"

"It's just work. I'll see you tomorrow, Sans."

"yup. thanks, (y/n)" He waves but the others seem less pleased. You're out of the door and hurrying down the street before either can say anything more.

It's cold today. Brittle. The air stings your nostrils and scratches inside your throat. It's awful, and it hurts.

All this monster controversy makes you sick to your stomach. You can't be seen with the boys now? Because people will get all offended?  
It disgusts you wholly, and as you walk you find yourself getting angrier and angrier, brooding with a furrowed brow and a furious pace. You need to calm down, but you're not sure this is the kind of problem you can simply shake off.  
With the imprints of Edge's body still resonant on your body, the ultimate guilt of what you've walked so willingly into weighs all the heavier on your shoulders.

Still, tomorrow you're back at work. It'll give you some time to think about your feelings for these boys before you die headlong into a day at the embassy with Sans...and somehow, you feel as though all this time you've known the answer to your internal conflict.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dang, I'm going to dangle this carrot forever aren't I? Mwah hah haaah...
> 
> Weirdly enough, I think it's fitting that after a year of this fic being out for the next chapter, close to Halloween (the date of the first chapter) to be the first one where things get really...interesting.  
> ANYWAY! Thank you so much for sticking with me for this long and I just want you guys to know that I am so endlessly grateful for all the comments and kudos you guys leave, as well as those who just read it anyway, because it means so much to me that people enjoy my work.
> 
> Have a great one!


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